


Partners in Crime

by bumblbee



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alcohol, Anal Sex, BDSM, Biting, Body Modification, Bruises, Cool Aliens, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub, Gambling, Hair-pulling, M/M, Oral Sex, Recreational Drug Use, Restraints, Rough Sex, Science Fiction, Size Difference, Slow Burn, Spanking, Swearing, Trash Boyfriends, criminal boyfriends, gay space nerds, petty crime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-10-26 03:37:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 101,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20735603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bumblbee/pseuds/bumblbee
Summary: Seren Havard's luck has run out: he's deep in debt with only his starship to his name and stranded on Fortuna Station, known in this part of the galaxy largely as a haven of gamblers and other pleasure seekers, along with the criminal element this brings in. When he attracts the attention of one such criminal, the handsome and suave Pax Azara, he discovers his life is about to change far more than he ever expected.





	1. Part One [Lucky Star Casino]

**Author's Note:**

> Tags are mostly for future chapters!
> 
> This is written in RP format, with myself writing Seren's POV and my lovely friend @mistywilmot writing Pax's. Please keep this in mind as it will switch back and forth. We aren't looking for any criticism, but if you enjoyed reading, feel free to comment.
> 
> If you would like help visualizing the universe a bit, we have a great [Pinterest board](https://www.pinterest.com/kiffstamatic/vaporverse/)! Which includes many other characters and settings not included in this work.

Pax strolled into the Lucky Star casino, his arm casually thrown around the shoulders of his companion for the evening; a deliciously petite brunette with obsidian dark skin whose name he had already forgotten. Thankfully the young man seemed happy enough to respond to Pax's chosen method of addressing him. 

"Shall we find some fun, pet?" he grinned, tossing his head in the direction of one of the Cybriss tables. It was a simple game of bluffing played with metal cards and a private display screen that projected choice of play into a central screen, transcending any language barriers.

The dark-skinned human under his arm fluttered his eyelashes, "Whatever you want, Pax."

So pretty, but oh so well trained. Too compliant. He wouldn't be selecting him again, if he even got another escort. It just looked good to arrive with something gorgeous attached to you. Along with his pet for the evening, his chosen attire assisted in making him look _classy as hell_. 

Pax sat down at the table, awaiting the next play, and turned to his companion, handing him some UCs, "Get us some drinks, won't you, pet?"

As he stood to do just that, Pax swatted his pert backside with a smirk, earning a well-practiced and _disappointing_ giggle. No fire, no sass.

_Might get rid of that one before I head back to the room if he doesn't liven up after a drink. It doesn't bode well if I'm already bored of him._

~

He'd only lost twice so far. But he could win this time? No one could even tell he was cheating... but maybe that's because he _still_ couldn't seem to win.

So he would try again. Seren sighed anyway, glancing to his side. He was betting all his credits tonight, so he couldn't even afford a small drink. But if he didn't win, then he couldn't afford to eat, either. It was depressing.

Shrugging his collar up a little higher, he began glancing around the table. There were many aliens present, but he didn't take too long to look at them. He could never know what they were thinking. It was easier to read fellow humans. But there weren't many, except...

A couple seemed to be taking a seat at the table now. They were both men, but one of them looked to be an escort. Or at least Seren thought he was, based on what he had seen throughout the night. They were all wearing similar attire. He took a closer look at the other gentleman, noting how... _fancy_ he was dressed. Clearly, someone who had won plenty of times at Cybriss. Maybe even fairly.

He watched as the escort stood up and the other man swatted him; it made Seren blush and look away. That had been entirely inappropriate. Yet something made him glance back, noting just how interesting the remaining man appeared. He had purplish hair and tattoos, and what were those glowing lights on his face...?

Afraid to be caught staring at someone who might be important, Seren quickly ducked back down into his place, pretending to study his screen. What he was really doing, a little too obviously (without knowing it), was fiddling with some of the wires he had pried out from underneath the console. Of course, he couldn't see them, but he thought he'd identified them by feel and was convinced he had learned how to manipulate them right.

This time, for sure...

~

Pax rested his chin on his hand, lazily poking at the console in front of him. That dainty little escort had better not have pocketed his credits and left...

Almost as if on queue, the young man returned, setting down two tall, neon purple cocktails (at least the lad had taste) before sitting in Pax's lap with a grin. He draped himself over him and idly traced his intricate tattoos as he watched the play.

Pax punched in his bet and glanced at his cards. With a sly grin, he nuzzled up at the young man's neck, the public display nothing more than a show to hide his nimble fingers inside the console, easily flicking the thinnest wire to connect to the circuit above.

There was a split second where the corner of his screen flickered.

_Wait_...

Someone else was cheating. The screens never flickered, and the Lucky Star would never be accused of having broken consoles, such was their status. Someone else was doing what he was doing... 

The display in the centre flashed in various universal symbols, and then his screen lit up amber; a moderate win. Modest, innocuous. Perfect. The catlike woman to his left won big, her screen bright blue, the other screens lighting yellow or red for small wins, and losses respectively.

"Aah, what a good luck charm you are, pet," he laughed, jostling the dark-skinned man in his lap.

He glanced at the assembled table. The cat lady, a portly Herskic who seemed to have lost his streak, a waifish sleaze of a Merghani, and... A sweet-faced human man... _nearly hiding behind his console_.

Pax eyed him without shame, his striking cyan eyes, framed by the frosty quartz crystals embedded in his skin, glittering with interest even as the escort lounged over him like the paid-for tart he was. 

As their eyes met, Pax gave him a deliberate look through long eyelashes, then winked.

"Better luck next time," he purred.

~

That man (now with the escort on his lap) was _looking_ at him.

Their eyes met and Seren jerked his legs up automatically as he tried to hunch back down again as fast as he could. Of course, he managed to hit his knees hard against the bottom of the console in his haste.

"_Fu_-" he started to hiss, but managed to think better for once. "Uh... thanks," he muttered instead. The man had been talking to him, hadn't he? He rubbed the sting out of his legs, trying to frantically process what had gone wrong and what to do next.

_Why can't I win right? I'm doing what the 'net said to do!_

He couldn't afford to bet again. It was the last of his credits. But...

Of course, he did it anyway. And his screen turned red. Again.

Seren ran a hand over his face and up over his head, further tousling his wavy blonde hair. _Now what?!_

~

Pax hadn't a care for the game after that. The other human was so tightly wound it was like he could _feel_ the nervous energy.

He played a lazy round, allowing himself one big win, making sure he lost too, and then patted the escort on one lean thigh, subtly slipping a few extra UCs in his pocket, murmuring in his ear, "Get yourself a safe shuttle home, pet. I'm not feeling it."

The young man pulled away and glanced down questioningly, but with a soft kiss from Pax, he complied, slipping away and leaving him alone at the table.

He stood smoothly, taking his winnings and going over to the bar, leaning against it to tilt his hips out. Just in case anyone was checking him out. He ordered a Coronus Fire, the strongest cocktail in the menu, and made his way back to the table. The nervous human was still there, jittery little thing.

Pax leaned down over his shoulder, close enough that Seren could pick up on the subtle mint scent of his perfume, and set the drink down.

"You look like you need to _relax_, cutiepie," he whispered huskily in his ear, "Don't think for a second that your filthy cheating is subtle. You are terrible."

He put a small pile of his winnings on the table with the drink, "Try again, or... Come find me at the Nebula Drift, room 35L, if you want to learn how to _do it properly_."

He slipped away with a playful brush of his long fingers over the young man's hand and made his way out, smirking.

~

Seren didn't notice anything after he lost the last time, wrapped up as he was in misery over his money situation. He didn't notice the man with the escort getting up, or the escort leaving alone. It wasn't until he smelled something incredibly pleasant, like... mint, that was it. Yet very masculine somehow...

With a start, he realized the purple-haired man was right over his shoulder, placing a vibrant red cocktail down on the table nearby. His closeness and his voice in Seren's ear combined made him freeze in place. It wasn't until after the man had left that he began to piece together what had just occurred.

First of all. _Cutiepie_? He wasn't, like... five years old.

Then he groaned. His cheating was apparently _very noticeable_. And very bad. Both of which frustrated him more than anything. He had really been trying!

He stared at the little pile of credits the man had left. At least it might be enough for a small meal, and to keep his ship from getting towed in the morning. Which had sucked every time it happened the past few months. The officers did not have a good opinion of him after he yelled at them the first time.

But...

The man had offered to teach him. Or that's what he gathered from such a statement. "Do it properly" must mean that he knew how to perform this particular cheat well. In which case, this was a great opportunity to learn. And there was no harm in paying him a visit... he didn't exactly seem dangerous. Attractive and suave, but not like a murderer or anything.

Seren contemplated the drink a moment, then took a hesitant sip before spluttering. It was far too strong for him. He silently apologized to the man for wasting money on a cocktail, but gathered the credits up and stood with an eager smile.

"Okay, Nebula Drift, room 35L." _Maybe this is my lucky day after all._


	2. Part 2: [Nebula Drift Hotel]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren heads to the Nebula Drift Hotel to see just what this stranger might be offering him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags are mostly for future chapters!
> 
> This is written in RP format, with myself writing Seren's POV and my dear friend @mistywilmot writing Pax's. Please keep this in mind as it will switch back and forth. We aren't looking for any criticism, but if you enjoyed reading, feel free to comment.
> 
> If you would like help visualizing the universe a bit, we have a great [Pinterest board](https://www.pinterest.com/kiffstamatic/vaporverse/)! Which includes many other characters and settings not included in this work.

The Nebula Drift was only a few minutes away from the casino, Pax had made sure, so he could make a hasty exit if he needed to.

He swiped the card into his room, already pulling off his shirt and kicking his trousers off, smirking in anticipation. Maybe the gambler would follow, and he'd get to play with that nervous little snack a while. He ran his hands through his hair and flicked his comm on, putting on some heavy, thumping music with a sexy bass line.

Just in case.

~

Seren was able to look up the location of the hotel through his ship's computer, happy to find it was nearby. Of course, having limited credits meant he had to walk, but his spirits were still high as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and strode briskly. Chances like this didn't come every day.

He had to wrack his memory to make sure he had the right address when he was standing in front of room 35L. There was pounding music coming from inside... maybe the man wasn't alone? He could always check anyway, and if anything seemed off he could just leave.

Now a little nervous again, he pressed the doorbell button and stood back to wait. He would have to try to make a good impression, be eloquent, and-

He forgot all that when the man answered the door. All he could do was stare a moment, then look away abruptly.

"Uh..."

~

When Pax opened the door, he was down to his underwear. The tattoos that covered his arms did not stop there, spreading over his pectorals and onto his ribcage, leaving his faintly toned stomach bare, save for a pretty trail of hair from his bellybutton down into his pants. Similarly, from the tops of his bare feet, all the way up to his thighs were covered in intricate, angular black tattoos. He seemed momentarily surprised but smiled seductively.

"Oh, my Cybriss companion," he purred, putting a hand on his hip. "Do come in, cutiepie, don't just stand there gawking."

~

Seren's eyes slid back to the man again when he was spoken to, unable to keep from roaming across the vast amount of intricate tattoos he was covered in. His face flushed and he stared at the floor once he realized what he was doing.

"No, uh... I mean, this seems like a bad time for you?" He gestured weakly at the man in general, this time trying to keep his gaze on his face. It made him notice for the first time how _tall_ the other man was, as he had to look up. "I could come back later... if that's better..."

Or he could run now if this was going to turn weird.

~

Pax stepped up, gently cupping Seren's chin with those long fingers.

"Now is the very best time for me," he purred, leaning down and smiling sweetly, "Come in and take a seat. We'll go slow, relaxed. Anything you want."

~

"I..."

When the man touched him, Seren initially stiffened, then relaxed even though his heart was pounding strangely. He still didn't understand quite what was going on, but then he remembered how this might be his only chance...

He tried to ignore how he felt standing close to a nearly naked, attractive man, and instead walked inside as offered, sitting down on one of the couches in the room with a wary look around him.

"I don't quite get your meaning," he offered apologetically. "But uh... do you entertain all your guests dressed like this?" It was a weak joke, but he was still nervous, with no idea what to do.

~

Pax tilted his head, watching the young man with a quirked eyebrow.

Oh no. He misunderstood.

"Ah... Wait, you... You thought I meant cheating at the Cybriss tables, didn't you?" he said, closing the door and padding over to where his more casual clothing was tossed over a chair, beginning to pull it on. "What a shame. I only entertain my prettiest guests like this."

Once he was dressed, he flopped down next to Seren, throwing an arm over the back of the couch and eyeing him through his eyelashes again, a lazy smirk on his face.

"I'm Pax," he murmured, tracing over Seren's hand and taking it gently, "And you are...? Oh come on, I can't very well teach you if I don't know what to call you."

~

"I did think that."

After the explanation, a thread of annoyance crept into Seren's voice. Maybe it was flattering to be thought of as "pretty," but...

Fortunately, the man was getting dressed. "What did you mean then?" he demanded, now with a sinking feeling that he already _knew_.

"Pax," he repeated, pulling his hand away. "Uh. My name is Seren. So that means you _will_ teach me, right? That's just what it sounded like you were offering." He was frowning now, very concerned about this meeting going well at all.

~

The lithe man shrugged, grinning, "You're pretty, I thought you'd come here, we'd have a few drinks, a chat..."

His eyebrow twitched suggestively, but he recognized the discomfort and smoothly slid away to a more respectable distance.

"Of course. I intend to show you some basics, then we'll visit another Cybriss table, at a different casino to avoid you being found out with your bumbling fingers," he laughed, spreading his hands, revealing a dangling circuit unit for a ship.

_Seren's_ ship.

"Pickpocketing is a good start," he said, offering it back.

~

"Well, that's not what I thought," Seren muttered. "You didn't phrase it well enough."

He felt safer once Pax had moved away a bit more. "You... really will? Honestly?" His expression was lit up by his smile, though it faded a little. "I've been having some problems... I mean I've read everything I can from the 'net... I just can't get the hang of it... I'm not _that_ bad, I think..."

He was completely dumbfounded to see his circuit unit in Pax's hand. The one he had known was in his pocket when he arrived. "That's... that's mine," he whispered, grabbing it quickly. A slow smile was growing again. "So you're really _good_. When can we start?"

~

"A thousand UCs, and I am all yours, cutiepie," he said brightly, his expression lightened by Seren's pleasant smile. "I'm very good, and you'll learn everything you need to know."

He winked, "Everything."

~

Oh. Of course.

Seren was struggling to keep smiling, though it ended up looking more like he might be ill. He ignored the use of that silly nickname again and tried to sound nonchalant. He found it was impossible to look directly at Pax, however.

"What would you say if... you know... someone didn't exactly have even a thousand UCs to their name? I mean... _not right now_. That's what I mean. But I still really need to learn how to do this... I mean I really do." It would take too long to make a thousand UCs on his own. It might be too late by then.

~

Pax's expression fell, and he looked almost irritated.

"You don't have a thousand UCs... But you want my help?" he said, leaning back and folding his arms. "Hmm..."

~

"You're not interested in lowering your price?" Seren asked weakly, though he quickly tried to make it look like he was joking instead.

"I can't really afford anything at all. But I can... I can work it off! I can pay you back once I'm making money. I can do anything for you that... you know.... regular things. Not anything weird. But I could work for you. I may not be the best with cheating just yet but I can do a lot of other stuff. So..."

He trailed off weakly, folding his hands in his lap. "I realize you don't know me. I just want to get better at this."

~

Pax's full lips twitched, and he covered his mouth to hide his smile.

He made a show of thinking it over, rubbing his chin and slumping further down into the couch.

"Hm... Alright, Seren," he said brightly, jumping up and moving about the room. He reappeared crouching in front of the younger man with a bright, yet wolfish grin. "We are going out. Your first lesson is _now_."

~

Seren waited, agonizing over what the answer would be, concerned because Pax seemed to have to think about it so hard.

Then he was beaming again, thinking he had succeeded. "Oh, thank you," he said breathlessly. This was easier than he thought it would be. "But... what will you want me to be doing? And... _now_? Really? That's fine though..." He was excited to begin, knowing he could prove himself.

~

Pax held up a small bag, his smile lopsided, "You have to trust me though. Where I'm taking you, you'll need to blend. I'm gonna give you a little makeover, okay? Take your jacket off."

He opened up the bag, revealing some bright makeup in varying tubes, "Don't worry, I'm not gonna paint you up like my escort earlier. Just a little, I promise."

~

"I guess... I mean, sure, it's alright. If it's to blend in. So like... pickpocketing, then?" He started shrugging off his jacket, a little cautious but knowing he still wanted to do this.

The makeup did give him pause. "As long as it's not much. I've never worn anything like this before."

~

Pax gently cupped his jaw and applied a light dusting of something to Seren's eyes with an artful, gentle hand. As he worked, he gently bopped to the pounding music in the background.

"Gorgeous," he purred as he pulled away. He set the brushes down and touselled Seren's hair before holding up a mirror, showing, as promised, subtle makeup enhancing his silvery eyes, making him look quite sultry. "There. Now, let's get you the basics."

He stood and took Seren's hands, pulling him up, "The trick is to be casual, so-" he smirked, "You need a drink first. Let's go."

~

Seren was surprised by his face in the mirror; it actually did look pretty. He would never be able to duplicate what Pax had done on his own, he thought.

"Yeah, it looks nice," he agreed, trying to sound casual. He also had to ignore the way he wanted to stare at the other man's long, elegant fingers when he took his hands again to help him up. When was he ever attracted to fingers? That was a strange thought.

"Well I won't be of use if I drink _too_ much," he pondered, glancing down at himself again. "I, uh, still don't know where we're going."

~

"Oh, of course," Pax said, idly and hastily gliding some color over his lips while somehow shoving his boots on at the same time. "Just enough so that you're not jerking and jittering. We're going to the Engine Shed. It's loud, so brace yourself, but it's full of hot party animals with too many UCs and _loose_ pockets. Great for beginners."

He beamed at the short man as he opened a tiny bottle, up-ending it onto the pad of his finger and rubbing the drops behind his ears; the mint perfume from earlier.

"C'mon," he said again, dabbing the excess on either side of Seren's neck before starting to the door.

~

Seren thought it sounded interesting, even if he'd never been to a club of this sort before. "Alright then." He flushed a little as Pax applied some of the mint scent to his neck, but couldn't bring himself to say anything about it.

"So, you've... worked this place before, then? Is there anything else I should know before we get there?" he questioned after following Pax out. He was eager to do this, but still nervous. The drink was a welcome idea, and probably a good one now.

~

"Oh, I'm a regular," Pax laughed, leading him out into the drizzly, humid streets of the station. The neon lights were bright, cutting through the night almost painfully, but Pax had a definite spring in his step.

"This will be much easier if you... Pretend to be my boyfriend," he said, slipping an arm around Seren's waist. "I'm not just saying that either. People don't tend to bother couples, y' see." As if already getting into his role, he squeezed the shorter man slightly, dropping his voice to a murmur, "When we get there, I'll help you find a mark, and we'll go through what you need to do."

~

"Um... I see."

Seren was startled to find himself so close to Pax yet again. And rather concerned that by now he had sort of started _liking_ it. So he was an attractive man, he seemed friendly enough, he smelled nice... So what? Why should it _not_ be enjoyable? He had never been one to feel much loneliness before, but maybe he had been without realizing it. If that was possible.

He dared to lean a little closer to the taller man, nodding. "Well, it sounds good. Like a good plan, I mean. I don't mind. I'm just... just learning what to do."

Hopefully, it wasn't much farther. At the moment he really wanted that drink.

~

Pax smiled, stroking Seren's hip with a teasingly light touch, but said no more.


	3. Part 3: [The Engine Shed]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax teaches Seren a little about pickpocketing while they visit the Engine Shed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relevant tags for this chapter: Recreational drug use.
> 
> This is written in RP format, with myself writing Seren's POV and my lovely friend @mistywilmot writing Pax's. Please keep this in mind as it will switch back and forth. We aren't looking for any criticism, but if you enjoyed reading, feel free to comment.
> 
> If you would like help visualizing the universe a bit, we have a great [Pinterest board](https://www.pinterest.com/kiffstamatic/vaporverse/)! Which includes many other characters and settings not included in this work.

They made their way out of the main "city" of the station, towards what could have been seen as a slum, an industrial area.

The Engine Shed was not easily missed; a huge cruise class ship covered in neon strips, pounding music thudding through the air.

"Just follow my lead, cutiepie," he said, lacing their fingers together and tugging him into the queue for entry.

~

Seren was so in awe of the club at first that he forgot about much else. He had never been to this part of the station, and really had no idea any of it existed.

"Wow," he muttered, surprised by how loud the music was already. They weren't even _inside_.

He held tightly to Pax's hand, but was about to tell him he should really stop calling him "cutiepie" when he remembered they were supposed to act like a couple. The use of a nickname like that would help...

Staring around them as he waited, he noted there was about the same variety of people he had seen at the casino. But everyone here was dressed more flamboyantly, and they definitely seemed louder and more excited. He stole a glance up at Pax, then looked down again quickly. Even with makeup and different clothes, he wasn't sure he would pass as someone who would normally come here.

~

Once they were in line, Pax threw his arm around Seren's shoulders, his posture relaxed, his smile wide, already rolling his hips to the music he could hear.

He took particular note of the doorman; a hulking alien with her hair shaved into a strip of tall spikes. She seemed to recognize Pax and waved him forward. He grinned and dragged Seren with him. 

"You're later than usual," the alien rumbled.

"Had some business, Axa. Miss me?" Pax said slyly.

"Like a blaster wound. Get inside, then," she grumbled with a long-suffering grin.

Pax blew her a kiss and lead Seren into what was a far bigger club than anticipated; it seemed to spiral down into the bowels of the station, larger than the ship itself, the dance floor a luminous pit right at the bottom.

~

Seren was watching everything with wide eyes, but tried to relax once they were inside. Pax hadn't been lying about being a regular, based on his interaction with the doorman.

The inside of the club was incredible, seeming to tunnel below the ship and into the inner parts of the station, and he found himself smiling. Here he was, finally on the way to making some relatively easy credits in the way he wanted to, even though pickpocketing had never crossed his mind. He would prefer using the gambling machines to cheat. That was an explanation he used on himself when he would spend every night at the casino, so he wouldn't feel guilty about it.

But now, he had Pax to teach him. He smiled brighter when he spotted the dance floor, waiting for instruction, or just the promised drink. If he could hear over the music.

~

The taller man jostled him, and without trying to speak over the music, made a drinking gesture with his free hand, before winking and jerking his head in the direction of the ramp spiraling into the depths.

Leading him down, there was an endless stream of people; aliens of every species, every size and shape, but all dressed in a similar fashion. Some were grinding up against one another in the darkened corners, or heavily locking their mouths together.

When they finally reached the dance floor at the bottom, the bar was in the center, lit up with blacklight and making everyone glow. Pax threw himself belly first onto the bar, leaning right over it, and yelled something with visible force, gesturing with two fingers.

The bartender laughed and put two heavy cube-shaped tumblers on the bar before pouring a glowing, glittering blue liquid out into them.

Pax handed one over and beamed, knocking his own back with overwhelming enthusiasm. When he finished the glass, he stuck his tongue out, now stained with the same blue hue.

~

Seren watched everything that happened next with an amused smirk, which didn't leave after he was handed his tumbler. He had to wonder if the blue remaining on the tongue was an intended side effect or not. If he was supposed to drink it fast...

He tried to do as Pax had done, and mostly managed, but had to grimace at the slight burn along his throat. It was surprising how fast the drink seemed to be taking effect, too. With a more relaxed smile, he turned his attention back to his taller companion, feeling the energy of the music coursing through him more easily.

"What now?" he mouthed, seeing no point in yelling at the moment.

~

Pax was eyeing him with a vaguely lustful expression, and tugged him to the dance floor.

He twirled Seren into him, pulling him close enough that the young man's back was flush against his toned chest. He planted both hands on Seren's body as he started to fluidly move their hips in tandem. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Seren's ear, and spoke, with perfect clarity, as though the music was not there at all; all thanks to the drink Pax had ordered.

"Now, then, my little protégé. Eyes forward, _dance_, and listen carefully."

He moved his hands to Seren's thighs before drawing them up, still swaying them from side to side, noting with a wolfish grin that Seren was keeping up with the dance very well.

"Looking like you do, pick a big manly man, or a younger girl. They like a sweet, innocent face; use it. Girls are easier to steal from, but they also have more friends; eyes everywhere. Get close, get flirty with those eyes. Take advantage of the dance floor, rub up against someone. Don't get greedy; a credit chit or two at a time. Make it quick, make it smooth-" he slipped his hand out of Seren's pocket and unwrapped his last piece of gum, taking it into his mouth, "And keep moving. Why not try it on your way back to the bar for our next round, hm?"

When Seren checked his pocket, he found Pax had slipped some UCs inside.

~

To Seren's instant shock, he realized he could _hear_ what Pax was saying. He hadn't known anything like this was possible; apparently, he really did have a lot left to learn.

He was dancing with the taller man easily, but found he was biting his lip as he listened. It was certainly... very distracting. Almost a little too distracting. Pax felt warm pressed against him, and the motion of his hips was... compelling. Was that even the right word? As much as he was trying to focus, he thought he was enjoying this too much.

The advice given made sense, and made him frown at the same time. He didn't think he had a "sweet, innocent face." But if that's what Pax thought would work...

"I can try," he said, startling a bit to see that the other man had somehow managed to get ahold of the last of his gum without him even realizing. But now there were more UCs in his pocket than there were before.

He pulled away from Pax as he was released, still dancing, locking eyes with him for another moment. Something was intoxicating about the entire experience, the music and dance, getting close enough to take what belonged to others...

He also didn't think of himself as a common thief. But if he had to learn this first to get to what he really wanted to know, then so be it.

Beginning to scan the area for any likely targets, he moved further away from Pax.

~

Pax watched him go with an encouraging nod, finding that he genuinely hoped he would succeed. Still, he would get a status report, and another drink, and if Seren didn't do well, he could help him try again.

He remained where he was for a moment longer, running his hands up his own body as he danced, glancing around for... Well, he didn't need to look far to spot the face he needed.

There was a painfully skinny woman with pink hair streaked with orange; a signal to those who knew it that she was selling various party drugs. Pax didn't indulge... _terribly_ often, and he stuck to a couple he knew were light and agreed with him. Damned if he ever wanted another high that left him confused and near-naked but for one shoe that wasn't even his, and quite a fetching leather skirt...

He murmured in the woman's ear, and some UCs changed hands, and Pax rested a large tablet on his tongue. Already the colors of his surroundings were losing focus and intensifying, the music somehow sounding better than ever before. Everything looked and sounded so beautiful, he couldn't wait to see how Seren looked in this state.

_... Wait, where did that thought come from?_

~

After separating from Pax, Seren made his way across the floor slowly, trying to subtly look through the crowd as he danced. He wasn't feeling too awkward thanks to the drink, and he also didn't seem to be drawing any negative attention. One behemoth of a man with a huge mass of dark hair did look at him with interest, but Seren only attempted a flirtatious smile as he slipped away elsewhere. Really, after dancing with Pax, he didn't feel like dancing with another male.

That was a strange feeling.

It wasn't long before Seren spotted someone he thought he should go for. He didn't know a lot of alien races, but he did know a Chrysalan when he saw one, and this one was gorgeous; a slender but small woman who looked fairly young, dancing by herself near the edge of the floor. Her long wings were tucked close to her back, and her antennae were swaying along as she danced.

Intrigued, the human moved closer. He wasn't sure what one of her species would be doing here, but supposed that everyone who _was_ here had their reasons. She noticed him then and smiled brightly. Now he was close enough to see she was wearing makeup that made her face glow a soft lavender. She swayed close to him, beguiling, and he forgot what he was supposed to do for a moment.

There was no one nearby who seemed to be paying any special attention to them. Seren slid close to her body, not quite touching yet, but she closed the rest of the distance quickly and put her arms around his shoulders. This felt nice too, but differently. The Chrysalan's dancing was sweet, whereas Pax's had felt more... sexually charged. For lack of a better phrase.

Realizing it made him blush, but he swayed along with the woman, seeing if she resisted as he slid his hands down her sides. She seemed to be oblivious, even pressing her face to his chest after a little while, as though she was enjoying being held. The hip pocket of her loose dress was within easy reach, and as he suspected, he could reach a hand inside and take out two credit chits without any sort of reaction.

It made him feel bad, she seemed so lovely. But he had done it. He smiled widely, dancing with her a few minutes more as a sort of compensation. "I have to go," he told her, seeing that she was able to read his lips easily enough. Made obvious by the fact that she pulled his head down and kissed said lips gently before she released him and danced away.

Seren had paused to stare after her in bewilderment, but soon remembered he didn't need to stand out. He began dancing again, moving back to where he had been and looking for Pax, beyond excited to share his success.

_I could swear he was around here..._

~

Partway through his search for Seren, Pax has grown distracted by the colorful vibrations of one of the speakers surrounding the dance floor, holding his hand out to it in awe as he felt the waves of bass from the volume at which it was being played. Thankfully the effect of the drink was still on him, and his eardrums were unscathed. 

Then the song changed. 

His jaw dropped and he immediately spun around to find Seren. It was his favorite song, and he _needed_ to dance with someone, right _now_.

~

Seren was beginning to get desperate as he heard one song blend into another, and he pushed his way past a knot of people who almost seemed fused in their dancing as he moved faster. Pax had to be here, he wouldn't just disappear, maybe he was back at the bar or-

Then he spotted the taller male moving toward him enthusiastically. "Pax!" he called out, grinning now too. "I-"

There was something different about his face that made Seren falter for a moment. It was different somehow. Not necessarily in a bad way...

~

_Seren... Seren... That's not a name I've ever heard before, is it?_ Pax mused as he all but flowed through the crush of people, spinning and ducking as though it was completely second nature.

_Seren, Seren... Small. Might not find._

As if timed perfectly, he spotted a streak of blue against fluffy, pale hair, and yelled in wordless triumph, hurrying to him.

When they met, Seren could see his eyes were wide, bright, full of excitement, but glazed as he scooped Seren up, spinning him while laughing as gleefully as if he had been the one to be spun around.

"I _found_ you!" he bellowed.

~

It was his eyes. He could see it now. They weren't totally focused, but Pax looked... happy. Seren knew enough to realize he had probably taken some sort of drug, though he was not too familiar with the varieties available. At first he was dismayed, then he realized it was probably alright; he'd already successfully stolen from someone, basically completing his first lesson. He was pretty sure he could do it again.

He forgot everything else when Pax lifted him off the floor and spun him.

"Y-yeah, you sure did," he agreed weakly, a little dizzy once he was finally set down again. He peered up into the taller man's face, still concerned. "Are you alright...?"

~

"I'm _amaziiing_," Pax said messily, tasting each sound his mouth was making for a moment before beaming, "I lost you for a minute, but you're here now, and... Aw, you didn't get us a drink."

He pressed their hands together at the palms and laced their fingers together, starting to roll his hips more fluidly than before, closing his eyes for a moment as though just enjoying the music. For a brief second, it could have been believed Pax had forgotten all about him, save for the grip on his hands, but he moved close, pressing their bodies together, and spoke again, his voice full of mirth, "How did it gooo?"

~

Pax.. _seemed_ okay. Not in any danger of much, at least. "No, er... I didn't. Sorry. But we can go get one if you..."

Seren stopped talking as Pax took his hands, rolling his hips and bringing their bodies flush against each other. He had been right, this felt so different from dancing with the woman. It took him a little time to reply.

"Oh, it... it actually went good. I found this Chrysalan woman, she was really pretty... she wanted to dance with me. And I got some credits out of her pocket. I did it... I really did it." His enthusiasm was quickly returning as he recalled what had happened. "Exactly like you told me to."

~

Pax moved their hips together with more vigor, baring his teeth in a wide grin.

"That's great! You did good!" he laughed, leaning close, pressing their cheeks together. He was still giggling gleefully as he slid his arms around Seren's waist before sighing softly, as though laughing had tired him.

~

Seren smiled, pleased by the praise from someone who was clearly experienced, and nodded happily. "Thanks. I couldn't have done it without you," he muttered, knowing Pax could hear him, as their faces were pressed together. It was possible the drink was wearing off, though; he couldn't hear quite as he had earlier.

"You sure you're alright?" he asked quietly, putting his arms around Pax in return. He was finding that he didn't want any of this to stop. It was perfect. He was finally getting a better start in the criminal world, he was happier than he had been in quite some time, and this... he could get used to this.

~

"Mm. You're cute," Pax mumbled, his voice nearly lost to the music. He was enjoying the feeling of the smaller man against him, which was surely the drugs.

He slid his hands around him, "Hey... You want that celebratory drink, cutiepie?"

~

"Oh right... sure." Seren didn't think he needed another drink, but it wouldn't hurt. He was enjoying himself at the moment, and being able to hear was nice.

He shrugged off the silly nickname again, nodding. "Should I come with you, or...?"

~

"No, no, stay, enjoy the bodies," Pax said, glancing hungrily at the surrounding beings. "I'll be back."

He tipped him a wink, and vanished.

As he ascended the ramp, hands in his pockets, he checked his own pockets for his possessions, finding them all as they should be. He'd left a cocktail, paid for, behind the bar for when Seren eventually went looking, and the note in his pocket was comprehensive.

He strolled back to his room, endlessly amused at his evening's entertainment.


	4. Part 4: [The Black Diamond/The Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding himself alone again, Seren needs money **fast**, or at least to get his hands on that jerk, Pax.

Seren waited for what felt like a long time.

At first, he danced, moving close to one individual after another, not finding them much to his liking. He kept glancing over his shoulder, looking for Pax to return. Maybe there was a line at the bar.

Eventually, he made his way over, walking more than dancing. When he yelled Pax's description to the bartender, he received nothing more than a shake of the man's head and a drink that had been set aside for him.

Seren stared at the tumbler, not even seeing it, and certainly not wanting to drink it. What did this mean? Pax had said he was coming back. Pax had said he was doing well. Pax had said he was going to teach him about cheating at the casino...

Feeling like an idiot, he stumbled through the crowd, still looking for the tall, purple-haired man. No one was paying attention to him, that he was walking as though he didn't know where he was, and should be dancing and having a good time instead. Now it was as if he couldn't hear the music at all.

When he had reached the edge of the room a second time, he felt numb. He remembered the pickpocketing attempt, reaching into his pockets to see how many credits he really had. What he also found was a folded slip of paper, which he knew hadn't been there before.

Hands shaking with disappointment and building anger, Seren unfolded the paper and began to read.

~

Whoever had written the note had absolutely dire handwriting, but Seren could read it well enough.

_It was fun, cutiepie, but I don't work for free, no matter how yummy the client._

_Lucky you, getting a rare free trial. 1000U¢ to buy tho._

_\- P_

***

When he returned to his room, feeling smug but just a little bit disappointed (he figured that was the rapidly approaching comedown), he started stripping his clothes off before his eyes fell on a smooth blue-grey jacket.

_That's not mine... Oh fuck._

Sighing, Pax tugged his vest back into place and hastily started gathering his things up. He'd be back for that, and Pax probably needed to be gone.

He grabbed his duffel bag, jacket, and few possessions he'd left lying around, and slipped out, leaving Seren's jacket and description with the silver-haired receptionist, "Someone will come by looking for me; short, fluffy blonde hair, blue streak... but they just want this, from room 35L."

Pax slipped back out into the night, fumbling for his comm to check the time. Gone midnight. No wonder he was starting to think longingly about the dehydrated noodles he had stashed on his ship.

Pulling his hood up, he sloped off towards the shipyard.

The Siren Song was always ridiculously dwarfed by the other ships around her. She was barely a step above a shuttle, old and atmosphere damaged, and cramped as hell, with a cockpit built to house two but at his height, Pax struggled alone. But she was spaceworthy, and Pax loved her.

He pulled himself up through the hatch, rather than take the route through the tiny 'cargo bay', which was a glorified storage room with an airlock. His bedroom, again supposedly large enough for two, awaited him in the same messy state it always did, but the piles of thin unmade blankets were inviting.

He grabbed one of the many, many cups from the cupboard, and within a few minutes, was settling into bed with steaming hot noodles. Just in time to help combat the fuzzy headache of the drug wearing off.

~

Seren read the note twice, beginning to seethe.

The money. Of course. It was always about the fucking money. He knew that, but had pretended it might not be true this time. What would a suave, beautiful man like that have seen in him, to be willing to _wait_ for his money?

"Bastard," he muttered, crumpling the paper in his fist. He dropped it on the floor, stepping on it as he strode away, physically pushing anyone who wouldn't move fast enough while making his way back to the entrance. Pax hadn't gotten the chance to see this side of him. The side that heated quickly into pure anger when things didn't go his way.

It almost felt cool outside when he reached the streets again. His tension and anger were combined into a tight knot in his chest the way they usually did, making every step feel heavier. He had no release for this and could only hope it passed quickly.

His first stop was naturally the hotel. After pounding on the door to 35L and receiving no response, he went down to the desk. He was given his jacket, but no further information. Having forgotten about the jacket entirely, he grabbed it and stormed out.

Next was the shipyard. His own ship, the Black Diamond, was sitting near the back where he had left it, to some relief. He should be able to pay for his docking space another day. However, there was a notice posted on the main airlock; apparently one of the other casinos had figured out who he was and was looking for the money he had spent there without really owning it. Or it could be an old one, concerned about why he wasn't responding to any of his 'net mail.

He stared at it, feeling defeated, then snatched it and entered the ship. He tossed both his jacket and the notice on the table, heading into the bathroom first. The Black Diamond was plenty spacious enough for him, and he thought maybe even another person. It had been relatively new when he purchased it, and the tech wasn't _too_ outdated yet. He had gotten good at taking of it by himself, but...

Staring at his face in the mirror, he felt his anger growing again. "I look so fucking stupid," he sighed aloud, beginning to scrub the makeup off with distaste. When he had cleaned up, he kicked off his boots and stalked into the main computer room in his trousers and tank top, flopping into the chair to open the 'net on the dash monitor.

Instantly the massive amount of debt collection mail showed on his screen and he minimized it angrily. "Pax," he muttered, typing the name into a search engine. Then he paused. _Pax what? I don't know if that's even really his name. I don't have a surname._

This led to a prolonged bout of loud swearing. "Pax" didn't bring up much of anything when he tried it. It was also possible this particular station had no records on him. In the end, he gave up quickly, pushing his chair back and dropping his head onto the keyboard, just trying to settle himself.

He had no money, probably a dozen collectors out for him, and now no hope for a chance out of this thanks to Pax. All he really had was the awful tension working its way out from his chest and through the rest of his body.

"I might feel a little better if I could at least strangle that fucking jerk," he muttered.

~

The next morning hit Pax like a ten-tonne shuttle, being forced into the waking world by a surge in his stomach.

"Fuck, fuck fuck fuckfuckfuck," he grumbled, staggering out of bed and into the bathroom, throwing himself over the toilet and waiting, breathing heavily through his nose, but nothing came.

"Idiot. It's _Karm_ that doesn't affect me," he told the toilet bowl. "Not Dust." The effects were roughly the same, and so he'd gotten mixed up. His stomach clenched a few times, but he eventually sat up, groaning loudly.

He needed a shower, coffee, and a distraction.

~

Seren woke up the next day still slumped at the computer workstation. He'd stayed up a long time last night, trying to think of a way out of his current mess. The only solution he arrived at was that he had to sell his ship.

There was no way out of it at this point. The collectors were getting too persistent, too annoyed. He'd end up in jail if he didn't do something soon. The Black Diamond would bring in enough to cover those debts, he thought. He just needed a day or two to get it up on the ship market.

And then... he would still be broke. Just homeless besides.

He managed to get out of the chair, though his neck and back were stiff and sore from the position he'd held for hours. Somehow he hobbled into the bathroom to strip off his clothes and take a shower, letting the hot water soak away some of his muscle pains. It wasn't really helping, either. He didn't know where he would be able to shower soon enough.

Once in clean clothes, his wet hair messily combed, Seren sat back at the console again. He was thinking about Pax, strangely. As much as he hated the guy at the moment, he wanted to prove himself for some reason. All he needed, after selling his ship, was an additional thousand UCs. He could hand over the money to Pax and at least be guaranteed a sort of livelihood, even if he had to live on the streets a while.

Seren had never done much honest work in his life. He'd never needed to. But he began searching jobs on the 'net, eventually landing on a page for bounties. The quickest way might be to bring in a target.

He had no idea what he was doing when he headed for the bounty center a couple of hours later, his stomach empty and his head somewhat light.

~

"Rough night, Azara?" the Syszik laughed as he handed over a large, battered mug to Pax, who had his hood up, and very dark sunglasses on, barely covering a sour face. Even after showering, he looked as though he'd gone three rounds with Axa when he looked in the mirror.

"Not nearly as rough as I like," Pax grumbled, distracted. Weirdly, he was thinking about Seren. Actually, he'd been thinking specifically about their dancing while he was in the shower, but now it was less carnal. He found himself hoping the young man was alright, that he found his jacket and at least had a good night in the end. Pax hadn't even stolen from him, aside from the gum.

"Got any jobs, Zwe?" he asked, after downing half of his coffee in one long guzzle. He hated black coffee, but needed it right then.

The Syszik tossed his dark hair back, pulling a face, "For you? No way. I need this done right, I put it up at the bounty centre."

Pax lowered his shades, looking offended, "What?! But you know I'm good!"

"This isn't some smash and grab, Azara, thisss guy is dangerous and I need him bringing in. In one piece, I might add," Zwe said, folding his arms.

"Please! C'mon, I'll do it for half your asking price," Pax smirked. The Syszik gave him a very unimpressed look. "Okay, I won't, but I can do it! What's the deal?"

"Fine. Devorak Nicks, human, 6' 3", pale, white hair. Looks like a waif but he will fuck you up. Roughed up my sister in law when he robbed their cantina," Zwe hissed angrily.

"Bastard. I'll do all I can, Zwe," Pax said seriously, downing the last of his coffee and standing, throwing some UCs on the counter and slipping out of the grubby diner, making sure his shades were firmly in place.

~

_"Give me the fucking job."_

The man behind the bounty center's third station desk, a dark-haired man with eye prosthetic devices, stared at Seren in bewilderment. "Sir, I've only told you three times that you wouldn't be qualified for this. It's dangerous, and while it pays well, only experienced bounty hunters--"

"Just give it to me! Chances are someone will finish it before I do. You don't understand. I'm sure I can do this. Don't make me explain, just hand it the fuck over."

The man was not particularly impressed by Seren's rudeness, but he left the center with all the info he needed downloaded onto his padd. Which he realized, with a heavy sigh, he could sell for food money soon.

"'Devorak Nicks, 6'3" human, white hair'... easy," he mumbled as he read. "'Very dangerous.' Okay."

His eyes scanned down, reading through where the man was commonly sighted, and he shrugged. It was nearing midday. There was a bar nearby listed that he knew of already, and it might be a start. He headed in that direction, stowing his padd in his jacket, and feeling for the knife he kept in the other side.

It was his only weapon. He never had invested in a blaster, though that probably would have been a good idea. How was he going to confront this Nicks guy? He didn't have a plan.

It didn't matter. What else could he do right now?

~

Nicks didn't know he was being watched, more fool him.

Several booths away, a slender, heavily scarred man in black clothing watched him from behind his beer. Nicks was cocky, his knuckles cracked and bloody with a recent fight, and there was a very obvious taze glove on his left hand, as well as a pistol at his belt.

_Brazen fucker._

Nicks snickered at one of his companions, and tipped his head in the direction of the alleyway behind the bar.

_Probably awaiting a dealer_, the scarred man thought, clenching his fists and waiting for a good few minutes before following Nicks at a distance.

~

Seren was just continuing to make his way down the street, slightly unfocused with as weak as he currently felt. But it would be fine, probably. What hope did he have of really finding this target?

Luck never seemed to be on his side, but whether this was luck or not...

He stopped suddenly, staring. Standing close to a wall down the nearest side alley was Devorak Nicks. It had to be. He was tall, very pale, and looked.... very, very dangerous.

"That's him," Seren said aloud, though he cursed himself after. He was fumbling for his knife but it was too late. Nicks had seen him.

~

Nicks looked him up and down. His voice was slightly nasal, but somehow made him seem more unnerving, "You Cass? I've been waiting."

~

"No," Seren said hesitantly, though he was still reaching in for his knife. "No, but you need to come with me."

_Great, you idiot. That's going to work so well._

How was he supposed to have made a plan for this when he didn't think it would even happen?

~

Nicks laughed, sneering and cruel.

"How old are you? Fucking sixteen? Go play bounty hunter somewhere else, kid," he chuckled, turning his gaze back down the street.

~

The comment made Seren twitch visibly. He _hated_ being referred to as a kid. Just because he was short and had this way too innocent looking face... ugh.

Seren didn't say anything else. He had his knife out now and rushed at Nicks as he was looking down the street.

~

Nicks could hear the footsteps coming upon him, and he turned with a violent grace, backhanding Seren across the face as he got within reach.

"I fucking warned you..." he said, drawing the pistol from his belt.

"That's probably enough, hm?"

The voice was strangely familiar to Seren, but the person who spoke looked nothing like who he might have expected. The man was crisscrossed with pale scar tissue, his lank hair tied back from his face, and his eyes were dark.

And he had a disruptor gun pulled on Nicks, a brutal device that attacked the nervous system; illegal even with the station's slack law.

Nicks scowled but didn't move, "What do you want? He your fucking son or something?"

"You forget this ever happened, and the kid leaves with me," he grunted, eyeing Seren sternly. How the hell was he even there? _Why_ would he pick up a bounty? A failed gambler and one-time pickpocket, taking on this guy...

"Come _on_. This way," he spat, gesturing with his free hand while flicking the charge on the disruptor, still aimed at Nicks. "Follow us and you die, Devorak."

~

The sudden hand across his face startled Seren, as he barely had time to see it coming. The pain was enough that he dropped his knife, and began to back away rather than leaving himself open if he had chosen to pick it up. All he could think was that he was probably about to die.

Then a voice made his head snap around with what felt like nearly all the energy he had left.

....Wasn't that Pax's voice? It was still burned in his mind from last night...

No, it wasn't Pax. A scarred man in dark clothing was standing there, but Seren plainly remembered Pax's height in comparison to his. The newcomer had the same height. And what sounded like the same voice?

Seren didn't question further, but moved toward the 'stranger' instead. It was his only chance of escape, even if the man held a disruptor gun. He did know what _that_ was.

If everyone would just stop calling him a kid...

He reached the strange man's side, unable to help himself from glancing nervously at the disruptor. At least, from a distance it had looked like one. Up close... he could tell it was pieced together from different devices to give it the illusion of one.

"I may still be screwed then," he muttered, continuing to back away past the man in order to make sure nothing went wrong.

~

The man grabbed Seren roughly and started marching him away from the bar.

Thankfully they were not followed, but Pax hadn't been able to risk taking Nicks in, thanks to Seren. He flicked the charge off on the gun and tucked it in the back of his trousers.

"What were you thinking? Don't you know the proverb? About knives and gunfights? You coulda got yourself killed back there," he said, trying to grumble and disguise his voice.

~

Seren found himself being dragged along by the strange man, and he couldn't resist due to his weakness. He shook his head, trying to clear it, not appreciating the scolding at all.

"I know, I know that," he sighed. He wasn't about to explain himself. But that voice was still so...

Once they had reached a good distance and entered another alley, Seren managed to dig in his heels enough that the stranger stopped. "Thank you for rescuing me," he said with genuine gratitude, panting slightly. "I... I dunno. I just keep thinking about how your voice is really familiar. It's just... it's weird." He stared at the man, his mind clouded with everything that had happened.

~

The man smirked, and even with the facial changes, it was a recognizably wolfish, arrogant smirk.

"Good to know I made an impression, cutiepie," he said, flexing his hands as a digital mesh appeared over him, the guise giving way to luminous hair and high cheekbones.

Pax reached behind him and pulled the disruptor out, aiming it down the alleyway and pulling the trigger. A light stream of soap bubbles tumbled out cheerfully, and Pax twirled the gun on his finger, "Cool, huh? This hot little mechanic girl made it for me a few years back-"

~

The longer the man talked, the way his mouth moved...

_Cutiepie?!_

The man's appearance was changing. Into Pax. It _was_ Pax.

"You _fucking asshole_!" Seren yelled, launching himself at the taller man. He didn't care about the gun. He just wanted to get ahold of Pax, as he reached up to grab for the front of his shirt and yank on it.

~

Caught completely off guard, Pax's eyes went comically wide as he was shoved against the wall. The shorter man had some strength behind him, though there was a tiny, _tiny_ tremor in his grip that Pax recognized but didn't have time to respond to.

"Argh! Whoa, careful, babe, I'm a bit fragile this morning," he winced, rubbing his forehead and making no move to fight back.

~

"I don't fucking care," Seren snapped, pushing on him weakly. "You deserve it. You lied to me! You just left me last night after you lied to me, _multiple_ times, leaving me there like some goddamned idiot! And I know I am, after trusting someone like you, but... fuck!"

He was breathing hard, unable to come up with anything better than that right now. He felt incoherent but didn't let go of Pax, not wanting him to get away this time.

~

"Hey, you took a chance on a stranger. I gotta eat too, cutiepie," Pax said softly, shrugging. "No one gets anything for free in this galaxy."

~

"That doesn't mean you had to lie to me! You could have just fucking _told_ me no! But you dragged me along and made me think you'd help me! Like the complete bastard you are!"

Seren wasn't running out of rage, it seemed.

"It wasn't going to be for free," he panted. "I was going to work for you. I'd do anything. I told you that! I would pay you back as I went. You agreed to it! You motherfucking piece of shit!"

~

Pax watched him, listening with what he hoped was disinterest on the outside, but unfortunately, he could feel every sentiment.

Hadn't the galaxy fucked him up similarly to Seren many years ago? He'd hardened himself to others as best he could, but still...

"You learned how to pickpocket. That's all _I_ had to start too," he said lowly, trying not to feel bad for the younger man. But damned if he hadn't enjoyed the hell out of the last night... Maybe he _could_ help...

~

"So what," Seren replied, his face crumpling a bit. He let go of Pax, backing away on unsteady legs. "I could pickpocket and get a few credits here and there. Enough to keep me alive a little longer. But I need a better way. I have nothing left. Nothing."

The alley was starting to spin, but he kept going, the tension in his chest making him feel about to explode. "I'll sell my ship soon. That will pay my fucking debt. Then I'm homeless. I took this bounty so I could find _you_ and pay you to teach me properly. I couldn't even do that. You stupid asshole..."

There was a darkness growing around the edge of his vision, and he didn't even feel his legs giving out.

~

Pax hissed a curse and darted forward, scooping the younger man into his arms. He looked solid enough but he was light, even for Pax, who wasn't _especially_ strong without the use of his augments. Sure, lifting his own weight was fine, but carrying someone half-collapsed was more taxing.

"Oookay, kiddo, that's enough now. Come on," he said gently, securing him in his arms and starting back to the shipyard. There was nowhere else...

~

Of course, Seren didn't feel or hear any of this. His lightheadedness had finally caused him to pass out, but if he had known what was happening to him, he really would have thrown a bigger fit. Hungry as hell or not.


	5. Part 5: [The Siren Song/The Black Diamond]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren come to an agreement, and they learn a little about each other at the same time.

Back at the Siren Song, and after a great deal of awkwardness, Pax managed to bundle Seren into his room and tug his boots and jacket off.

Really, it wasn't the first time he'd put someone to bed like this, but they had been... Drunk. Really drunk. And far, far heftier than little Seren.

He rolled him onto his stomach, a rough approximation of the recovery position. He might not have been drunk, but it couldn't hurt, right?

"Phew. Okay. You can resume your little tirade when you have the fucking energy," he mumbled, tossing one of his many blankets over Seren and slipping off to the kitchen.

~

When Seren woke up, he found he was laying on his stomach under a blanket. This did not match what he last remembered.

He still felt weak, but he stirred himself more as he smelled something... well, it was food, but he wasn't sure what. It didn't smell _bad_ though.

"Where am I," he mumbled, trying to sit up to a wave of dizziness. He could at least tell he was on a bed, in an unfamiliar (and messy) small room. As his vision focused, the first thing he noticed was Pax sitting on the floor somewhat nearby.

Pax.

"Why the fuck are you here," he groaned in dismay.

~

Pax glanced up and smiled, his cheeks rounded out with a mouthful of whatever he was eating from a plastic cup.

"Be nice, kitten, I got you something to eat," he said, his words muffled slightly, gesturing with his chopsticks. "It's spicy nexu flavor. Plenty of salt and fat and crap to get you back on your feet. Water too. I also got some bread, but I haven't got butter so... Dip it."

~

"'Kitten'?" Seren snorted, with plenty of strength to still be outraged. "You know my name, dumbass." He was still mad at Pax. That wasn't going away anytime soon.

"Oh... ramen." The younger man didn't look grateful, but he took it anyway, sipping the broth, then grabbing the bread and tearing off a chunk eagerly, trying to eat too fast as he remembered how hungry he was.

~

"Yeah. You're fucking welcome," Pax said, stuffing his face with a shrug. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking up.

"Hey, so... Uh. I figure I can help you out. Tell me about your debt," he said gently.

~

"Oh. Thanks," he offered belatedly, having demolished most of the bread already. Only then did he turn back to the ramen, hungry enough that he didn't care he was eating it. It just... wasn't his first choice.

His gaze swiveled to Pax in complete surprise when he spoke again. "You can't help me. Basically, I'm in gambling debt up to my damn neck. I have to sell my ship or else there's no way I can get it paid off. I'm running out of time fast."

He sighed, twirling the remainder of the noodles in the cup with his chopsticks, not looking up again. "It's all my fault. Don't worry. I'll... figure it out. I guess."

~

"Let me," Pax said firmly, his gaze suggesting that it was not an option to deny him.

"I've been there," he said casually, shoveling in a larger mouthful than he could really fit. "Sssucks. And I guess I owe you. Since I didn't know you had it so rough. So. Let me sell your ship for you. Guarantee I can get you double what you'd get if you did it yourself."

~

Seren was surprised by this. "Uh... well." He wondered why that had sounded so compelling to him.

"Oh. You do owe me. But how am I supposed to trust you? To not just sell my ship and run off with the money?" He didn't know much about selling a ship, admittedly. He might get ripped off letting _anyone_ handle it.

~

"Cuz," Pax said, as though it was that simple. He beamed, "I want a cut of the profit. Depending on how much we get. You kiiind of owe me for my lesson anyway. Orrr... I could continue to help you, as I suggested before. What do you have to lose, cutiepie?"

~

"Oh. Right." He sighed deeply. It was just about the money.

"I don't really," he snapped, already feeling stronger. "Not with what you did to me. All I have left to lose is my ship, and if you're dishonest with that, I'll have no money from it and end up in jail. Which might be better than living on the streets, I guess."

He paused a moment. "And I wanted to tell you all last night, but _stop_ calling me 'cutiepie.' It's stupid." Seren grabbed the water bottle, taking a long drink and glaring at Pax over it.

~

"I coulda left you collapsed and starving in the streets, _kitten_. But I didn't," he said, looking up at him through his eyelashes again as he had when they first met.

"I had fun last night. I've been in debt with the wrong people. I don't wanna see that happen to you."

~

"Yeah, but you could have just wanted to get at my ship since you knew I had one," Seren muttered, looking away from Pax then. It bothered him that he still felt some sort of weird _attraction_ to this dumb bastard.

"Why 'not me'? Nothing special about me to you." Slowly he turned back to the older man as if he had only just noticed. "And don't call me 'kitten' either! My name is Seren!"

~

"I use affectionate names for the beauties I meet, _Seren_," he purred, rolling his name over his tongue as though it was the most beautiful thing he'd heard.

The overall effect might have been sexy if he wasn't sat next to a pair of discarded neon green and orange boxers.

~

_That_ caught him off guard too. Pax's tone was... Seren shivered a bit but frowned deeply. "Well, you can stop, because I'm not one of those beauties."

He sighed loudly. "Fine. Whatever. I guess. If you decide to cheat me out of the money for my ship, then I'll be safe in jail for the rest of my life."

Carefully he set his empty ramen cup aside and flopped on his back on the bed, staring the ceiling. "Where the actual fuck am I, anyway."

~

"Ah, you're on _my_ ship. The Siren Song, my baby girl," Pax beamed. "She's an acquired taste, but she's _my_ acquired taste. I can give you the tour if you're feeling better."

~

"Oh." He sat up then, feeling weird as he realized he was on Pax's bed. Which he should have realized from the beginning. "Nice that you get to keep her, then," he grumbled.

He stood up, looking around at the mess, and frowned. "Might as well. Even if I won't be here too long." Where was he supposed to go once his ship was gone? He just didn't know.

~

"Hey, you might be here longer'n you think, cutiepie," Pax said, hopping up with a wink.

He opened the door and gestured, "In there's the bathroom, in there's the cargo cupboard, and a bit of a kitchen thing. Up here-"

He reached up and tugged a hatch with a grunt, "Is the cockpit. Hehehe..."

~

"_I said stop_-" Seren began, but couldn't finish as he had to hurry after Pax.

His facial expression was very underwhelmed as he looked at everything the other man had to show him. "Uh... nice. I wonder if you could afford a maid. That might help."

He rolled his eyes. "And people call _me_ a kid."

~

"Nah, just me. S'all I've ever really needed," Pax said cheerily, oblivious to the mild insult. "She's cute, right?"

He slapped the metal wall, beaming.

~

"Cute. Um... yeah, I guess that's a word." _Not one for the ship, though._

He glanced around for the hatch, still a bit frustrated. "Maybe I'll just... y'know, go back to my own ship for now. Start packing up my stuff. I won't be able to stay there too much longer. And you could... y'know... contact me later." He was beginning to feel really awkward. If only he hadn't gotten himself into this mess in the first place.

~

"Well, duh, you gotta show me your ship! So I can talk her up, make her sexy, get some interested buyers," Pax said, putting an arm around Seren's slim waist, looking at him through his eyelashes once more.

~

"W-well..."

For some mysterious reason, Seren didn't pull away immediately. He looked up at Pax, realizing this was what he did to anyone he found attractive. He wasn't special. It didn't matter.

"I guess," he mumbled. He had thought he would get to go and be alone for a while. But there was always later. "You... really wanna come over now?"

~

"If that's okay," Pax purred. "Unless you got lucky last night and still have some gorgeous creature lounging in your bed waiting for you."

He leaned close, murmuring, "Shame it wasn't me, hm? Maybe another time..."

~

Seren shivered, quickly moving away then. "No! No, there's no one. And uhh... never mind."

_Stupid attractive bastard._

He all but ran to the hatch, attempting to open it himself. Pax didn't need to know about the total absence of his love life. It turned out he needed the other man to help him, but once he was outside again, he looked around quickly to get his bearings.

"Right. The Black Diamond should be...." He stared off to the right for a second. "Oh, fuck me. It's right there." He had been this close to Pax the whole time.

~

Pax beamed, pointing and putting a hand on his cocked hip.

"_That_ is your ship?! Well _fuck me_, kitten, I admire your ship _every day_!" he yelled, clapping delightedly. "I love that model! So, so much sexier than the X-Blade variation, huh?"

~

"Heh." Seren chuckled, able to see the humor in it, at least. "Yeah, that's it. We were almost neighbors, huh. I do like it better than the X-Blade. It's real nice, but... oh well. And don't call me kitten."

He still wasn't feeling quite himself as he trudged toward the ship. It wasn't like he had had the best day. Things were looking slightly up, but...

"Come in," he sighed, unlocking the main hatch.

~

Pax was visibly eager to see inside, bounding in past Seren and running off into the ship, making a string of appreciative noises.

"This is so _cool_!"

~

"Uh- Pax, wait!"

Wasn't he supposed to be showing the other man his ship? He found himself laughing a little, which was a miracle. He was very confused by Pax, but...

"Hey, don't get too attached. It's cool but it's going away soon." He had caught up and began explaining the ship in general, telling him any problems it had, and showing him all the details that he might need to explain when he sold it. He left out anything personal about the ship, however, knowing he needed to stop being attached to it, too.

"So... yeah, there you go. This is the Black Diamond. You think... you can get a good price?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

~

Pax beamed at him, taking his hands excitedly, "I definitely can. She is a beauty, just like her pilot." He gave Seren a sly wink.

His face fell slightly, "It's a shame you have to sell her, but hey, we'll get you a good chunk of cash, and back on your feet, huh? I'll teach you some good skills, put you in contact with my hacker friends... You'll get a better ship."

He smiled encouragingly, squeezing Seren's hands.

~

Seren chose to ignore that comment, though he flushed slightly.

"Alright then, thanks. Which is strange to have to say to you, again, and somehow believe I can trust you. I did want to learn some stuff from you. And hackers?" For a little while, he seemed to muse that over. "I'm not too bad with computers. Maybe..."

He held Pax's hands for another moment, frowning, then turned his back to the taller man as he moved a short distance away. "So... that Nicks guy. You going after him again then?"

~

Pax shoved his hands in his pockets with a grin, "Where else d'ya think I learned how to do it? I mean, I can cheat at a physical card game, I can do any sleight of hand you need, but fiddling with the wires and shit takes a bit of practice. Looked like you were getting there though, kitten."

He shrugged, "Bounties aren't really my thing, but... If you wanna, we can do it together. Play it safer, play it _smarter_. Split the reward, hm?" He gave Seren a flirty wiggle of his eyebrows.

~

Seren nodded, turning around again. "I'd like to see you do that. And yeah... maybe I was. I dunno. Don't call me kitten," he mumbled, wondering how many more times he would need to say it.

"Oh, uh... not really. I think my first and last day bounty hunting was today. I'd rather not stare death in the face quite so much. And uh... sorry if I ruined it for you. I mean, you probably would have got him if not for me."

He almost didn't want to keep asking Pax questions, but he had to understand what else he had seen. "But... you know. You changed your appearance. How's that work?" It was all he could do to pretend indifference, because he was actually quite intrigued.

~

Pax smirked, and spread his hands, choosing to ignore the fact that, yes, Seren had kind of ruined the bounty.

The digital mesh shimmered over him, and eerily, Seren found himself staring at a taller version... Of himself.

"Oh. Are you _impressed_, cutiepie?" he purred, Pax's voice oddly coming out of his own reflection.

~

Seren's mouth had fallen open, but rather than looking impressed, he started to look somewhat angry. He didn't like Pax taking his appearance. Not at all.

_If I was that tall, no one would be calling me a kid._

He turned away, shrugging grumpily. "No, not really. I just wondered how it worked. Don't do that anymore. Look like me, I mean. It's weird." He refused to look at Pax again until he had changed it, glaring in the other direction instead.

~

Still smirking, Pax fluffed his hair, his hand moving through the shell of illusion, "You don't like it? I dunno. I feel very, _very_ attractive like this." 

Pax laughed as Seren turned away, "Aw, okay, okay. Hey, what about this, then?"

When Seren turned back to him, he had changed his appearance to what could only be described as a feminine Pax; the same cyan eyes and purple hair but a slimmer face, shapely hips, and almost obscenely large breasts.

"It's an augment I had implanted. You know how they work?" he asked, putting on a more high pitched approximation of his voice.

~

"No. I don't."

Seren looked again when Pax changed, lifting an eyebrow then smirking. "Dunno. It's an improvement over the real you, though." Though actually, he didn't prefer it at all.

"Oh, an augment..." He nodded quickly, interested again. "But like... didn't that cost a _fortune_?" It seemed very complex. If it hadn't been ridiculously expensive, Seren would be very surprised. "And what do you even use it for? I mean, if bounty hunting isn't your thing, what do you really do most of the time?"

~

The disguise shimmered away and Pax's wide, yet somehow seductive smirk was back in place.

"I have three. Aaand... It's kind of a long story. The disguise one is for performers mostly, but it's kept my fine ass out of jail since I got it. Many enforcers in the Vorazk system are looking for that particular man that saved you from Devorak Nicks. The other two are speed and strength enhancers," he explained. He looked only slightly uncomfortable as he added, "I got them cheap. Night Market cheap. Back alley surgeon, crap anesthesia, experimental knock offs of the pharmaceutical ones... The whole shebang. But they were still... A little pricey."

~

"_Three_?" Seren's tone turned incredulous. The longer Pax talked, however, the more concerned he became. "Oh. I get it now. Um... wow." In a way, he wondered if he should consider Pax dangerous because of the augments.

"That's... well, you must have been really devoted to getting them," he muttered, not knowing what else to say about it. "But have you had any problems with them? I mean, considering all that..."

~

Pax grimaced, though he was still smiling slightly.

"Oh, every few months or so I can't move, but it's a small price to pay for the fun of the augments themselves," he explained, before laughing and spreading his arms, twisting them to show his tattoos, before tapping the little crystals around his eyes, "Devoted to modifications, me? Naaah!"

~

Seren's smile was cautiously concerned. "I don't know if I'd find that worth it. But, it's your body."

He remembered the hotel room, where he had seen... pretty much all of Pax's tattoos already. The thought made him a little warm.

"Oh, right!" Seren peered closer, wanting to know more. "Do those crystals... uh, do anything?"

~

Pax leaned in a little, his eyes half-lidded, plump lips pulled into a small, genuine smile.

"What do you think?" he asked lowly. "See if you can work it out. Look as close as you like."

~

Seren enjoyed working out a mystery, but...

"Um... well, they're pretty. But I think they look like regular crystals? I've never seen any quite like them, though... uh..."

He did move a little closer, trying to look just at the crystals, but the rest of Pax's face was entirely too distracting. It was necessary to look away occasionally to prevent blushing more.

~

"Thank you, cutiepie," the taller man purred, reaching a hand up to trail his fingers over Seren's jaw, "Hearing _you_ say they're pretty is high praise indeed. And you're right, they are purely aesthetic. Beauty and brains, hmmmmm?"

~

Seren's eyes widened and he backed away, but admittedly not as fast as he wanted to. He was too confused to worry about what silly name he was being called now.

"If... if you say so." He cleared his throat, thinking maybe now was the time to get Pax to leave for a while. "If you want to look into getting the Diamond on the market, then? I could... pack. Or whatever." He thought he would have to sell everything else he owned anyway, but that didn't matter.

"You can let me know later about the details or what else we need to do," he sighed, glancing around. "And uh... you know where to find me, obviously."

~

Pax moved back towards the ship's airlock with a wink, "Oh, I can find you, kitten. And you know where to find _me_."

He rolled his shoulders as he slipped out, heading into town, humming as he went.

~

Once Pax was gone, the Diamond almost seemed eerily quiet. "Of course," Seren muttered to himself. "Because he's such a damn loudmouth."

Just last night, and even this morning, he had been so mad at the purple-haired man that he hadn't known what to do. And now there was just this strange sense of acceptance toward him, almost like... a fond annoyance?

"No, that's not right," he continued to himself, glancing around. "I'm just low on sleep and out of my fucking mind."

There wasn't much to pack. Over the last few months, he literally _had_ to sell a lot of his stuff anyway. A few changes of clothes, a towel and some toiletries, a couple of books here and there, his favorite music vids on flash drive (in case the unspeakable happened and he couldn't use the 'net anymore to view them), his padd... that was all.

So it only took about five minutes to put all that together into his bag and set it on the floor near the main hatch.

_Now what?_

He leaned against the wall for a moment, despondent. No matter how sure Pax was about selling this ship for a good price, and getting him out of debt, he couldn't be happy.

This was his home, he thought as he slid to the floor and just sat, staring blankly. But it wasn't anymore.


	6. Part 6: [The Black Diamond]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no other real choice, Seren leaves his ship for the last time, taking a certain someone up on an apparent offer of hospitality.

Zwe put Pax in contact with Aran, who told him he needed someone called Crusher and, once Pax had stopped _laughing_, Crusher put him on to Linya, who had a very, _very_ interested buyer for the ship Pax had described.

Linya cupped a hand over the mouthpiece of her comm device, "She's saying seven hundred thousand."

"That's an insult," Pax hissed, "This _ship_ is in near new condition."

The willowy Zantan turned back to her comm with a roll of her first set of eyes, speaking in her own language.

Pax had realized, with desperate embarrassment and irritation, he had no idea of Seren's debt figure. How was he supposed to double it? 

"She says a million, and she'll make a dash ornament of your genitals if you're scamming her," Linya smirked.

"Heeey, there's no need threaten my livelihood, babe," Pax babbled, holding his hands up. He was quite fond of keeping his entire body intact, thank you very much. "We'll take it! Deal, deal, deal, gimme her comm info and I'll do a digital tour for her."

Linya said something in her own tongue to the other Zantan, and laughed, her gaze sliding to Pax before the laughter increased.

_Stars, I hope that's fucking enough..._

The impression he'd gotten from Seren was that it was big. He clearly recognized the desperation, because he wanted so much for the agreed figure to be more than enough.

They arranged the details, exchanging communication info, and Pax hurried away.

He'd been gone for several hours, far longer than he wanted to be, and artificial night was setting in when he hammered on the hatch of the Black Diamond.

~

Exhaustion had caught up to Seren not all that long after he sat on the floor.

He wondered if he would ever see Pax again, for the second time. If he wanted some (or all) of the money from the ship, then probably.

Seren hadn't even wanted to deal with selling the ship in the first place. It was getting so tiring to have to handle everything. Maybe that was why he let the other man take care of it. Just let Pax take control instead...

He was in a deep sleep moments after this.

~

Pax waited, frowning. He knew Seren was in the ship, he said he'd wait, and he was definitely not like Pax in terms of keeping his promises, so...

"Cutiepie? Uh... _Seren_? C'mon, I have news," he yelled, slamming a fist on the door again.

Nothing.

He tested the release, and sure enough, pistons whooshed and the door opened smoothly, allowing Pax to slip in.

"Seren...?" he asked, glancing around. Not too far in, Seren was slumped against the wall, apparently asleep.

Pax laughed to himself and shrugged off his jacket, throwing it over Seren before slipping out again, and to the nearest cafe, getting two large coffees and making his way back.

He crouched beside him and set the coffee down before gently shaking him, "Sereeeennnn?"

~

The next thing Seren knew, he was being shaken somewhat, and opened his eyes blearily to see Pax crouched near him.

"Oh... oh you're back," he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Sorry. Has it been very long? I stayed up late last night..."

Once he had focused a little better, he realized he could smell coffee, and there was an unfamiliar jacket draped over him. Not so unfamiliar, as he suddenly remembered it belonged to Pax.

"Uh... here. Thanks," he offered, handing it back over to the older man. The gesture seemed sweet to him, surprisingly. "So what happened? Could you get an offer?"

~

"Heeey, welcome to the waking world, sleeping beauty! Don't worry, I've had similar days," Pax chuckled. He plopped down opposite him and sipped his coffee.

"I got a million... But I have some ideas to push that figure a bit," he offered with a grin.

~

"Really?" Seren felt surprised, even though he had hoped for that much. "That's great! But I didn't even tell you how much debt I'm in."

He winced, realizing that hadn't been the best thing to forget. "Uh... my debt is pretty close to that million," he mumbled, hoping Pax wouldn't ask how that happened. "But if there's some way to get more?"

~

"Spring cleaning, some minor replacements," Pax said, though it was clear he was taken aback by the admission. "I'll pay for the replacements, I know a guy who knows a guy who knows three guys. Y'know?"

~

Pax did look surprised by the amount. Seren kept his embarrassed expression on the floor.

"I..." He finally looked up again. "No, I guess I don't."

~

"I mean I can get them _cheap_," Pax whispered, grinning again.

~

"Well... she should be fine, then." It did make him feel a little better. The Black Diamond should be safe and taken care of, having taken care of him for years now, in a way.

"Alright, you can do that whenever you'd like to. I might as well... you know, stop staying here. To get used to it." Seren glanced around again, frowning. The idea wasn't appealing, even if he knew he should do it. "Last night I was thinking about work I could do to pay for lodging somewhere, until I start making money on my own, the way I want to. I did come up with a few ideas, I guess."

Unfortunately, they were not ideas he truly wanted to follow up on.

~

"Stay with me," Pax said brightly, before he could think about it too hard. "It's not a fucking mansion, but it's a roof over your head, hm?"

_Why would you suggest that? Just cuz he's hot and you feel sorry for him?_

~

Seren looked bewildered. Stay with _Pax_? He wasn't sure that was a good idea, but he didn't really want to insult the person who had just managed to sell his ship for more than he probably could have hoped to get on his own.

"I'm... not sure. I mean, you don't have a lot of room in there for someone else, and I'd probably be in the way if you wanted to bring in... uh... guests." Seren had a feeling Pax was the type to have quite a string of lovers.

To make the other man try to forget the idea, he continued to his own. "Well, I admit I had considered a job as a sex worker of some kind." It was a rather sheepish admission, but at least Pax didn't know that much. "An escort? I heard the bigger companies provide housing."

~

Pax's face fell as he registered that Seren had actually suggested what he did. 

"_Don't_," he said quickly. "Uh... I mean, I can't tell you what to do, but I strongly advise against whoring. At all. Sure, professionals get housing and good pay but they get _used_ just the same. A good agency will protect you from fraud, and anyone who does a nut-and-run, but they won't protect you from anyone looking to rough you up. And the bad agencies will sell you _for_ roughing up..."

He sipped his coffee with a deep frown, "I saw a few friends go down that route. For every good customer, you'd get ten bad ones, kitten. Reconsider."

~

Seren looked up again quickly, surprised Pax seemed so set against the idea. "It sounds... I mean, I guess not." He hadn't really wanted to anyway. The idea of his first time being with someone who would be considered a 'client'... wasn't very appealing.

"I don't think I will. Plus it might take up too much time that I could be working on other things." He sighed, back to the original problem again. "And don't call me that."

Nervously, he pulled up his legs to put his arms around them. "I could live on the street. I don't know where, but..." He paused to glance at Pax. "I still say I would get in the way if I lived in your ship. You don't have a lot of room or something."

~

Pax watched him, idly chewing at the sides of his nails.

"Nothing's ever worth putting yourself in danger like that, kiddo," he said gently. "And hey... Uh, you don't need to stay with me for long. I'll clean up the bunk, and you can stay in there. I've slept in the cockpit more'n once. It can be comfortable with a few good blankets. You can always be looking for cheap apartments while I teach you a few things and we get you earning again, _without_ selling your body."

~

"I... I guess. If it's really alright. Just until I find someplace else! It won't take long. I'll start looking up apartments on the 'net right away, just in case. And you don't need to give up your bed. I'm the intruder." It was remarkable how much his feelings toward Pax had softened in such a short time. But...

"Hey, _really_ don't call me that," he snapped. "I'm not a kid, if that's why you think I shouldn't be trying to sell my body." He stood up, keeping his back straight as he could, though the effect was ruined somewhat by folding his arms grumpily. "I'm _27 years old_, thanks."

~

Pax paused, and laughed, a hearty, goofy guffaw that was nothing like his usual low chuckles.

"Oh _stars_ that shouldn't be so fucking cute. You don't look your age, though. I thought... 22? Definitely not much older," he said, beaming. He exaggeratedly swirled the coffee cup, "Ah, I remember 27..."

~

"What are you laughing at?" Seren was feeling more irritable now. He glared down at Pax, frowning. "That I look younger? Well, I'm not. So it's not funny. And definitely not cute."

He looked away, shrugging. "What, you an old man or something?"

~

"No, just... Never mind," he chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm 30. As of this year, actually. Oh man, I got so, so drunk," he beamed. "But you know, life is a journey of self-discovery, and on that particular path, I found out I am an expert at walking in high heels!"

~

"You're not _that_ much older than me," Seren grumbled, thinking it unfair that at least some people looked their age. He smirked then, shrugging. "Sounds interesting. First time for everything, I guess. Maybe you could demonstrate sometime."

He stepped around to his bag, picking it up and hanging it over one shoulder. "Well. I think I want to go. I already said goodbye to the Diamond, so... you know. I could take my stuff over to your place if you're ready."

Seren was trying to sound nonchalant, but leaving his ship for the last time did upset him. He just didn't necessarily want Pax to see.

~

Pax hopped up, nodding. He took a sly step back towards the hatch, observing Seren with a tilt of his head that caused strands of purple hair to flop to the side. The kid was upset. And rightly so, but it felt... Unfair to point it out or poke fun. _He'd_ be heartbroken to leave his Siren. 

Thankfully Pax could do subtle on occasion.

"Ah, would you... Gimme five minutes? So I can stash my nasty interbeing porn holos, and all my delicates, hm?" he said, holding out a hand for Seren's bag. "I'll take this for you, if you like?"

~

Seren snorted. "Are you serious?" He rolled his eyes, Pax's words giving him just the right amount of strength to be sarcastic and not so upset. "Yeah, sure." He handed over the bag to Pax with a shrug, waiting for the older man to leave before he turned around and looked into the Black Diamond again.

He walked through all the rooms, remembering the time he had spent there; this was, of course, his first ship. The one he'd bought with the money he'd received from...

Shaking his head, he decided it was better not to think about it. It was all so far behind him now. He could only go forward from here, and try not to worry so much about the way things used to be. After all, he did know this was his fault.

With a final, somewhat wistful look around, he left the hatch and made certain it was locked.

He could see Pax's ship in the gathering darkness of the station's night cycle. What would it be like to live with him? How had he gone from absolute loathing to being willing to even contemplate such a thing at all?

Finally, he headed over and knocked at the Siren Song's main hatch, wondering just what he was getting into. It already felt awkward, even needing to do this.


	7. Part 7: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax needs something on his ship a little better than bachelor food, so Seren helps him out with a shopping trip. There is much chatting.
> 
> Yes, the tags are accurate, but you need to wait for most of it. :p

Of course, Pax had only been half-serious. When he'd returned to the Siren Song, he'd hurriedly moved his laundry from the enormous hamper of _on the floor_ to the utility area, making the room look somewhat bigger. He pulled a few blankets off the bed and folded them on the floor, creating a makeshift mattress.

The bed itself was _just_ big enough for two though, he thought. It was probably not going to be a welcome suggestion, however.

He neatened the remaining bedclothes just in time to hear noise against the main hatch, and he moved to the smaller one to poke his head out and surprise Seren.

"775906PAZ," he said, pointing at a panel within the airlock. "That's the code once you get through. Figured you should know rather than me letting you in and out!"

He remained half hanging out of the other hatch, watching.

~

Seren jumped slightly when Pax unexpectedly appeared at a second small hatch he hadn't noticed before. He glanced at the older man with a slight blush before hurrying to put in the code while he still remembered it.

"Oh... yeah, thanks. Maybe you can type it in on my padd since I don't want to forget it." He glanced around again, trying to smile. "So... I can sleep in the cockpit or something, you said? You probably don't need it so much as a room, unless you're planning on taking off any time soon."

~

Pax ducked back inside and closed the hatch, moving to meet Seren in the corridor, his head just a few inches short of hitting the ceiling.

"Sure, fork it over, and I'll input it," he beamed. As he tapped at Seren's padd, he shook his head, not looking up, "I found a solution, we'll see how that works first, yeah? I got some blankets and shit on the floor, you take the bed. It's clean, despite what you might think."

He glanced up again, that same sultry look through his eyelashes, "Unleeess... You don't want it to be."

~

Waiting for Pax to finish with the padd, Seren frowned as he glanced over toward the bedroom area. "So... sharing the room?"

He wasn't sure what to make of it. While he was reasonably sure Pax wouldn't try anything without his permission (he hoped anyway), it was still kind of awkward, considering.

Seren frowned, shrugging. "Why should I have to take your bed? I mean, I can sleep on the floor." He seemed to notice the look on the other man's face then and turned away slightly. Was he just... flirting? Like an awful lot?

"You know, you never did ask what my orientation is," he grumbled.

~

Pax rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall.

"No. No, I really didn't. Because you're an adult and I respect your right to tell me to back off if you're one of the straights," he said matter of factly. After a second, he smiled slyly, "But straight boys don't dance like you."

~

Well, that was true. He had never told Pax to back off, exactly. Other than making some space between them initially when he had first gone to the hotel room. It embarrassed him a little that his dancing gave him away as... not straight.

"Oh well," he said with a shrug and eye roll of his own. "You're right at least. I'm definitely not straight. Can't say I have a preference among genders, though." It was a lie. He preferred men. But did Pax need to know that? He hadn't slept with anyone at all, so it didn't matter.

"Anyway, I can sleep on the floor. And I'm staying here rent-free, so I shouldn't be taking your bed." He shifted from one foot to another, still unable to lose that awkwardness.

~

Pax smiled triumphantly.

"I have a good eye for that sort of thing," he said with a wink. "Ohhh, adventurous. I'll withhold my questions until another time, though."

He sighed and shrugged, "Okay, how about this? Let's alternate, if you end up here longer than one night, hm?"

~

Relieved, Seren nodded. Maybe he wouldn't even ask again.

"Sounds good, then. I can sleep on the floor tonight." Sharing a room still sounded _weird_, though.

"Uh, can I ask about your..." He paused, trying to think of how to phrase it. "About your schedule? I mean, what time do you go to bed? Stuff like that. If our timing ends up different, I don't want to like... bother you. I'm usually awake pretty late though." Or he used to be when he would regularly visit the casinos. The thought brought a twinge of longing with it, but he had no money.

~

"Oh, er... Well, I just go to bed when I'm tired. Somewhere between midnight and three? My sleep cycle is... Phew. Fucked," he laughed. "But I love the Engine Shed, and it doesn't open 'til half ten or something. I sleep until about ten in the morning, depending on if I've got shit to do. What about you? If we have conflicting plans, we can arrange, I guess..."

~

"That sounds about like me," Seren admitted brightly. "So we should be fine unless plans change." He didn't mention the Engine Shed, a place he didn't feel sure he wanted to visit again so soon, until certain memories faded more.

"Um... it's only about ten now. You could show me anything else around here I need to know?" Of course, at that moment, his stomach decided to growl audibly, though he tried to pretend it hadn't happened.

~

The taller man blinked, glancing at the source of the noise.

"Well, you actually read my mind there," he chuckled, waving Seren with him into the kitchen; nothing more than a longer, thin room lined with cupboards and a single counter that contained the oven, and a small preservation chest.

"So. You're welcome to anything here," he said proudly, gesturing. He tugged a cupboard open, revealing row after row of cup noodles in varying flavors, as well as the odd box of dried pasta, and several different condiments.

~

At first, Seren was relieved when Pax took him into the kitchen. After his first "decent" meal in a while, it had made him realize how much he missed being _not_ hungry. However, when the taller man started showing him the food he had stored...

"Oh, uh, you have quite a few of these," he said weakly, staring. He was trying not to look dismayed, but couldn't seem to manage it. "But this is... all? I mean, maybe you're keeping all the fresh food for yourself, I would understand that," he said with an attempt at humor. "Where..." Seren started glancing around, trying not to seem rude, but knowing there must be _something_ else here.

~

"Yeah, they're just really easy," Pax shrugged. "And the spicy ones are really tasty. If I want fresh food, I just tend to go out. Or order in..."

He turned back and looked in the cupboard, "Why, don't you like them?"

~

"Oh. Well, I guess they're fine... but you can't eat just _noodles_, Pax," Seren explained, feeling vaguely horrified by the idea.

He paused, thinking over his remaining possessions. "I could sell something to buy some food, I guess," he mused aloud without realizing it. "I could even make something for you that way. So I'm not just staying here free."

~

Pax turned to look at him, smirking, "Sounds a little like you're expressing concern for me, kitten. I don't eat _just_ noodles..."

Well. Truthfully, he did eat a lot of noodles.

Leaning against the counter, he sighed, "Stop selling your stuff. If you don't want this, let's go... Grocery shopping, I guess? I'm in a position to not need charity at the moment, so just let me buy whatever food you want."

After a second, he added, "And no one has said you're here for free, so don't worry about that."

~

Seren frowned and shrugged grumpily. "I'm just saying you shouldn't. But I'm not concerned about you. No matter what you've done for me since then, I still think you're kind of a jerk based on last night."

He probably shouldn't be saying this to someone he would have to more or less live with for a while. But something about the older man just made him want to talk back to him.

"I can eat this. But... yeah, if you're offering. I can make you something then?" His face fell, and he looked away after what Pax said next.

_You idiot, Seren. He probably still wants money._

"Oh. Right. So, how much do you think you'll ask from me? And I guess I still need that thousand for you to teach me, huh?"

~

Throwing an arm around Seren, Pax grinned, "Ohhhh, we'll set up a tab. I love having people indebted to me."

_Except..._

He had no intention of asking for anything, and he knew it, but he couldn't let Seren think he was some sort of sappy sucker who he could take for a ride as revenge for his bad night.

~

"Er... right." Again, Seren didn't immediately move to push Pax away from him. He still couldn't decide why. "I guess that sounds fair. It's up to you then, just don't overcharge me for anything."

"So." He cleared his throat, still fighting the awkwardness of the situation. "Grocery shopping? If you want. I know there are some stores open now. Or we can wait until tomorrow if you're too hungry. I could always just eat the noodles... again." He didn't look thrilled with that twice in one day.

~

"Yeah, let's go and get some shit in for you," Pax agreed, slipping away and grabbing a battered satchel bag from where it was hanging off a beam. "I could do with some beer anyways," he beamed.

As he led the way out, he turned back to Seren, "Hey, so how come you're on the station anyway? No one is born here, I swear."

~

"Heh, no." It was "dark" outside now, but the air had a cooler feel which was remarkably pleasant. "I originally came here for the casinos. I'm pretty sure you know this station has a huge variety compared to most places. I used to play a lot. Like, legitimately."

A wistful look crossed over his face again before he sighed. "I don't know. I ended up just staying here so long, and my debt started piling up so high... I really couldn't go anywhere else after that. So I've been stuck here."

He stole a glance at the purple-haired man, wondering just how much of an answer he would be allowed when he asked, "What about you?"

~

"Man, I'm sorry," Pax mumbled, "I like the station, but I'd hate to feel _stuck_ here. Still, we're on the way to helping you out of that, at least."

He met Seren's gaze unintentionally as he stole a glance at the same moment. No one had ever asked him, not really.

"Oh. Er. Well, I'm from Prima Beta. Y'know, the one with the _rain_. And, well, _no one_ wants to stay on Beta. The first time I saw sunshine, I thought I was going blind. I've been nearly everywhere in the Prima System, and I got bored. So... Here I am. Came for fun, stayed for work. Been here a year or so."

~

Seren shrugged, smiling, but didn't offer any more information. He began to wish he would have, though. It might have been nice to talk to someone about more of his life. Yet, at the same time, he tended to be embarrassed about it. And it hardly seemed very appropriate right now.

"Ahh yeah, I know of Prima Beta. That's cool," he offered, now embarrassed by his own choice of words. He would also have liked to know more, but didn't want to press his luck. "So work must be... good here?" He knew a little of what Pax did, at least, and was able to assume more of it. And since the older man had caught him cheating, he felt they were at least somewhat on the same page.

After another moment, he turned to Pax again. "Hey, you like Earth food? I mean, you do have all those noodles, so I'm assuming. It's pretty much all I eat. So we'd need a store that sells it, if you're alright with that."

~

"Enforcement is minimal here, so it just means I can make a bit more of a living without looking over my shoulder every five minutes. There's plenty to do here, work-wise," Pax said brightly.

He shrugged as he was asked, putting his hands in his pockets, "You mean like... Candy and stuff? Yeah, I like it. There's a few galaxy-wide markets, there's a lot of humies here, so they cater to us well. My favourite place is even run by a guy from Earth, I'll take you there."

~

"That's both good and bad, I guess," Seren mumbled. He was remembering Devorak Nicks.

"Er... it's more than candy," he said, raising his eyebrows. "You can't have that for dinner. I'll just show you what I like to get, and we can decide." His expression became more enthusiastic. "Oh, sounds good. How much farther?"

~

Pax scoffed, leaning away from Seren with a playful smirk, "I think you'll find, I can have whatever I want for dinner!"

He giggled, hunching his shoulders as they rounded a corner. The area of the station he had led them to was lit well, clean, and unlike the areas around the shipyard.

"Not too far," he explained, gesturing ahead, "You know where the old embassy is? It's just around from there."

Sure enough, less than ten minutes later, they found a small shop, run down outside but beautifully kept inside, and stocked to the rafters. Behind the counter was a neat, older man with a greying beard, who was reading an actual paper _book_.

"Whoaaaa, what is _this_," Pax teased, leaning over and ruffling the pages, "Get with the times!"

The old man looked up. "Bugger off. I like 'em."

~

"Well, you shouldn't," Seren muttered, now looking both irritated and _actually_ concerned about Pax.

He was a little concerned with the exterior of the shop as well, but inside he immediately brightened. Seeing the shop owner with an actual book made him beam with delight. _Guess I won't be showing Pax the two I have left, though._ He really didn't want to be made fun of for owning them.

None of this lasted long before Seren was busy staring around the shop. He was utterly disappointed to not have found this store before. It was incredibly well-stocked, with a wide variety of packaged food along with what actually seemed to be genuine fresh.

"This is great!" he exclaimed, dashing off before Pax could follow. He was looking for something in particular...

There they were. Piled high on some of the carts and shelves near the corner of the shop, looking every bit like they had been pulled fresh from the ground...

"Vegetables," he said happily, hearing footsteps behind him. "What do you like, Pax? Oh, _wow_... there's broccoli!" He hadn't actually seen broccoli in many years.

~

Pax chatted idly with the old man, though the conversation was decidedly one-sided, the man clearly wanting to get back to his book.

Eventually, the purple-haired man seemed to get the hint, and wandered off to find Seren.

As he approached, he leaned over him, resting his chin on Seren's shoulder.

"Ew. You actually _want_ broccoli? Just looking at it is giving me the creeps. Potatoes are good. Uh... And... Carrots," he said.

~

Having been paying much more attention to the vegetables, Seren jumped again when Pax's face suddenly appeared next to his. "Oh!" he laughed nervously. "There's nothing wrong with broccoli. Does it _scare_ you?" he asked, amused. "It's good, you can roast it with different seasonings. And I guess I should say, I'm no gourmet chef, but at least I do know how to cook enough decent food."

He ducked away from Pax to look around a little more. "Just potatoes and carrots? Are you sure? I can pick some up, but... What about like, corn, tomatoes, peppers? Green beans? ...Asparagus? _Anything_?"

~

"Oh, I'm very sure," Pax insisted, scrunching his nose up at the very idea of any of those vegetables. "I said though, get what you want, Mr. Chef, I'm fine for food. And don't worry about cost."

In truth, he'd never tried... Why was it called _ass_ paraguss? Or peppers. The orphanage had put him off anything green with the mushy, grey-green cabbage or sloppy broccoli that got served with their questionable proteins and potatoes. But Seren didn't need to know that.

~

"Alright," Seren replied, still pretty concerned. Was Pax not raised around proper nutrition, or did he just not really have a taste for vegetables? He did understand it could be somewhat acquired.

In that case, he began sorting through and wrapping what he wanted to purchase: various vegetables that would keep long enough to make soups or sandwiches, with a few extra potatoes and carrots than he might take usually. After that, he was able to quickly find some seasonings, sliced bread, instant rice and packaged curry mix (for convenience, since making it fresh would probably cost too much.) He thought Pax might like curry, if he liked potatoes and carrots.

"Pretty sure you're okay with spicy food, based on those noodles from earlier," he mused, glancing around the shop again. "Anything else you want to pick up here?"

~

Pax followed, quietly judging every single thing the smaller man picked up, but saying nothing. He was particularly pleased about the curry mix, though. He enjoyed a good curry, especially if the sauce was thick enough to need slicing...

"I love spice, cutiepie," he said with a wink, patting his pockets and pulling out a clear plastic card. "I just want one more thing..."

He led Seren over to the shelves, which had an authentic Earth sign showing age restriction. Tapping his chin, he looked up and down the aisle, perusing the selection of beer.

"You drink beer, Seren?" he asked cheerily. "Got a favorite?"

~

Curious, Seren followed and ended up unsurprised when it came to the beer. He did take some time to admire the sign, though. He loved vintage stuff like this.

"Of course I do," he replied, a little too quickly. He didn't want to add that a full can would get him drunk, and any beyond that would make him pass out. "Um." Glancing over the multitude of cans, he shook his head. "I just haven't had any in a while. Don't see much I recognize... you better choose. I can trust your judgment." He tried a weak smile, hoping Pax didn't see right through him.

~

Pax seemed to have been waiting for the go-ahead to get his preferred drinks, immediately swiping up a box with a gold and green label.

"Perfect, this stuff is great, you'll like it," he promised, tucking the pack under his arm and gesturing for Seren to follow him.

At the counter, the old man finally seemed to pay them mind, glancing at Seren's vegetables, then the beer.

"That everything you need?" he said, not impolitely, as he started ringing everything up on a relic of a till, with Pax making the odd 'ping' noise with the machine.

~

Seren was rather eager to ask the man about the old till, but decided he could always come back. He had laughed when Pax began making the noise along with it, his genuine light giggle, but had quickly tried to keep himself from doing it again. It felt embarrassing, even if he found it funny. He didn't know whether it was just because it was Pax, or...

"Thanks," he said brightly as they left, having offered to carry the bag of vegetables while Pax took the beer. "We'll get back to the ship, and I'll make us something? And then we can... uh..." He didn't have a plan for that. Would Pax even want to hang around with someone like him when he wasn't teaching him?

~

"Wow, that old machine is cool, isn't it?" the older man rambled as they left, hoisting the case of beer under his arm once more, after happily paying for the items they got. "So retro. I don't even know how Earth folk got by with those things!"

He glanced over at Seren, beaming, "You wanna cook for me, kitten? That's... Well, I guess there's a first time for everything. I mean, when I was a kid, people cooked for me, but not since I was... I dunno, sixteen or less. That'd be really nice of you. We can open some beers and get to know each other."

Despite his genuine reasoning for his statement, he winked suggestively.

"I mean it, though, I need to know you better to let you know what your _tells_ are. And I don't count your sweating at the Cybriss table; once you're more confident, that'll go away."

~

"Yeah," Seren agreed, sounding pleased. "I love retro Earth stuff, I guess you could say." He didn't elaborate, but maybe they could talk about it later.

"Of course I will. I picked out enough for both of us, and I'd really like to do something for you as thanks for your help. Finally." He smirked a little. "I guess I'd just like to cook for someone anyway. I never got a chance to."

He tried to ignore the wink, though he was quickly getting used to the flirting. "Oh... I see. Well, we can do that, then." As long as he was sure to not drink much beer. "Tells? I'm sure I don't have any. I'm very good. And I wasn't sweating." Just talking about gambling now was making him feel a bit restless.

~

The look from the purple-haired man was bordering on pity.

"Not from where I was looking, kitten. Maybe other games are your thing, but Cybriss... Nah. It will be, though," Pax said. "I have a scrap console that I can show you on. You were so close, when I was watching you, I could see you had the right components."

~

"You do? Good." Seren was relieved to hear there was something to practice on. "I-I'm fine with Cybriss. It's just that I was trying to cheat on it, that's all. I'd only done it a couple times before... just can't get the hang of it."

He was mumbling, trying not to give away his agitation about it. In reality, he was awful at any game in existence at the casino. And that really upset him.

"I'm fine with all sorts of games," he continued to lie. "But the cheating thing is new, and I'm... I just want to get it right." He glanced sideways at Pax. "Is it something you do a lot?"

~

"Heh, nah. I'm more a... Debt collector, thief, pickpocket... Sometimes bounty hunter. Cheating isn't usually my thing, but I like to try. If I can get more money than I would doing so honestly, I will," he grinned. "I didn't like school, so I don't really have a vocation like others."

~

"Well, that's cool. You're obviously kind of good at it, though. I have to admit I'm maybe not so interested in the thief or pickpocket route," he sighed. "And I'd never survive as a debt collector. Hopefully the gambling... or hacking..."

He was a little dismayed by Pax's next statement. "You didn't like school? But it's great! You can learn so much about all kinds of... stuff." He had trailed off because he was afraid this wasn't a topic someone like Pax might appreciate. It was too... nerdy.

~

"Oh, it's just that the other kids picked on me, since I've basically been this height from around the age of... Twelve, thirteen?" Pax laughed, shrugging. "And I just wasn't that good at anything there, I guess. Why, you liked school?"

~

"Really?" Seren replied with a smile. It _was_ hard to imagine Pax as ever being small, though he wasn't sure why. "I'm sorry, though. Oh... yeah, I liked it. But I was kind of one of those annoying know-it-all kids for quite a while." It had probably been why he never ended up with many close friends, although he had grown out of it.

He'd loved school, in fact. There had been so much to learn about ancient Earth specifically, including an entire language from his heritage, and he had absorbed it all quickly. But if Pax disliked school, he didn't want to ramble on.

"We're almost back to the shipyard, anyway," he said in relief, eager to get back and started on their food.

~

"What? Urrrgh, nerd," Pax laughed, scrunching his nose up playfully. "Heh, I never had a problem with the smart kids, they were usually the ones to understand I didn't fucking choose to grow _upwards_ before everyone else. Still, when you get older, you realize that kids are stupid. Some of the ones who made their little jokes were very quick to flirt with me the last time I saw any of them."

For what he'd said, Pax seemed completely unphased by the admission. When they were making fun of him, he'd only ever felt sorry for them for being so obviously bored.

"Yep. I'm looking forward to this, kitten, I won't lie," he smirked, glancing down at Seren.

~

Seren chuckled nervously, though Pax didn't really seem to be mocking him. "Well, yeah, of course you didn't have a choice. You're right, though. Kids can be surprisingly cruel at times, too."

It looked like Pax wasn't upset by any of this, so Seren continued on. "I hope you're not disappointed then," he muttered. He really had never cooked for anyone else, and wondered if he'd only ever made food that would taste good to himself.


	8. Part 8: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren attempt some cooking together, and play a little game.

Once back inside the ship (Seren entered the code for practice), he quickly took over in the small kitchen, storing their purchases wherever seemed best and finding a knife to begin excitedly peeling and cutting potatoes.

"This is great, I'm so hungry," he announced, excited about the prospect of some sort of _decent_ real food. He paused a moment in his cutting, glancing over at Pax. "You do, uh... have some pots and pans, right?" That was something he hadn't thought of.

~

Pax followed at a much more casual speed, slipping into the kitchen after him and opening the case of beer, pushing a can towards Seren and cracking open his own.

"Mmhm," he nodded, squeezing past him and pulling open a cupboard, revealing three small pots. He glanced sideways at him, winking as he anticipated the reaction to his minimal cooking equipment, "Single tenancy, small ship life, cutiepie. Can I help at all? Chop stuff for you?"

~

Eyeing the beer can Pax set near him, Seren chose to ignore it for now. If he could really only drink half a can without it having an effect, it was better to save it for later.

He frowned upon seeing what Pax had available to cook with. "I guess, but... wow, you need more than this. I can make it work for now. Once I start making money, I'll get you something more."

The offer of help surprised him. "Uh... yeah, sure. Wash and chop about three of those carrots for me? Regular sized pieces." Surely Pax could handle that, even if he didn't seem to cook much.

~

Quirking an eyebrow, Pax watched Seren as he spoke. Oh, he was going to get Pax some cooking equipment, was he...

"Sure," he grinned, taking the carrots and squeezing off to one side to start chopping and rinsing them. His cuts had no precision whatsoever, and the carrots were in varying sizes when he moved a bowl of them to the sink and started scrubbing them with his hands, humming cheerily.

~

Seren had a little smile on his face as he listened to the other man's humming. It _was_ kind of nice to be around someone. Brushing aside the peelings of another potato, he turned to look at what progress was being made.

He was slightly horrified to see Pax washing a bowl of carrots cut in wildly different sizes.

"Pax! I said regular sized! That means all the same! They're not going to cook just right, what the hell," he groaned. "It will work out, it just won't be as good."

It showed how relaxed Seren had become so quickly, to be acting like this. He didn't even realize it most of the time, but when things didn't go the way he wanted, he tended to get irritable. Sometimes more than irritable.

~

Pax laughed, wondering what had annoyed the younger man so much, but more than amused by his expression, "What? These are fine! They look great. Chunky, carroty... They'll cook up just fine."

He swirled them under the water, going back to humming.

~

"They won't cook up _just fine_," Seren grumbled. "You have to do it right. Next time I'll show you. I just want it to be perfect." He was a little disappointed as he collected all the peeled potato chunks and nudged his way over to the sink to wash them as well.

"I'll start working on the curry sauce. You can just go sit down or something." He shouldn't be so grumpy with Pax, but the other man's careless attitude about what he had wanted irked him.

~

"Wooowww," Pax laughed again. "I'm sorry for, y'know, paying for the stuff, offering to help you.."

His voice was full of mirth as he backed out of the kitchen, his wet hands held up.

"Pass me my beer, O Keeper of the Kitchen," he added, waving a hand at it.

~

Once Pax put it that way, Seren did feel bad. "Uh... sure." He grabbed the open beer can, handing it over to the older man. "Sorry. I'll handle it from here. You can relax, you did enough for me today."

He frowned, using one of the pots (making sure it was clean first) to start warming up the curry mix, in the meantime setting up their instant rice. The self-heating pouches were definitely convenient. The vegetables didn't cook too badly. Namely the carrots. Which made Seren feel a little worse, though at the same time...

Once he had assembled two bowls of the completed meal for himself and Pax, he walked them through to where the older man was waiting. "Er... sorry again. But here. I hope you like it. I never made food for anyone else, so... like I said." He sat down eagerly with his own bowl. "It smells so damn good, though."

~

Pax thanked him and moved to flop at the cramped table, sipping at the can while watching Seren from a distance.

_Control freak? Nah, seems too... Hm. Not meek, exactly._

He sat up with an eager grin as he was handed the curry, sniffing the steam rising from the rich sauce. It did smell good, _amazing_ in fact.

"Oh shit, kiddo, this looks delicious," he said, rubbing his hands together. Despite how eager he was to eat something that looked as good as any takeout (again, _better_), he wanted to wait until Seren had enjoyed the first bite.

As soon as that had occurred, he began eating in earnest, making appreciative noises between pausing for sips of his beer.

"Mm, this is great. You wanna stay and just cook for me?" he laughed. "Or at least consider doing this professionally?"

~

"I'm not a kid," Seren snapped, though it was plain Pax wasn't really listening. Despite his huffiness over the nickname, he was also quick to forget for now as he began practically inhaling the food as well. Curry wasn't exactly the most healthy, and he wouldn't make it again too soon. Still, it really did taste good after going so long without making anything himself.

"Oh, you really like it?" he finally asked, grinning. "That's good. I... Nah. I'd never make it professionally. I can do some stuff, but I'm not the best." He ignored the question about staying to cook for _Pax_. Although he would for a while, he supposed.

Once he had eaten about half the bowl, he opened the can of beer and took a few cautious sips. He knew he had to be careful with it. "Hey, this is pretty good," he admitted truthfully. He liked the taste of beer alright, he just didn't want to lose control around Pax. Or anyone, of course.

~

Pax pushed his half-finished bowl away, sighing contentedly. He intended to continue, but had eaten a little too enthusiastically, and wanted to chit chat.

"Hey, so... You have a boyfriend?" he asked suddenly, leaning against the wall and tucking a leg up underneath himself. "You didn't tell me to back off, you said you're not straight. I'm curious."

~

About to take another drink, Seren froze momentarily when asked this question. When he moved again, he took several more swallows than he intended.

"No." He didn't look at Pax but tried to keep a nonchalant gaze on his food. "Why would you even ask? It's not important. I'm not sure why you'd think anyone would date my broke ass as it is." Putting it this way, he was at least able to smirk about it.

"Since we're asking, what about you?" he continued in an offhanded way, swirling his beer can. Almost half empty.

~

"I told you, kitten, I'm curious. Cutie like you, figured they'd be lining up in an orderly fashion," he said cheerily. He gave Seren a smirk, "Oh, Seren. Broke doesn't negate hot, _ever_."

He was far less flustered by the question than the fair-haired young man, shrugging, "Nah. Not now, not ever. Not properly. Seen the same person a couple of times, but never for very long, so I don't think they count."

~

"Uh... no." He didn't think he was unattractive or anything, but he was probably hard to get along with for longer periods. That's what he had always told himself after his "dates" had gone nowhere. "I'm not 'hot,' though," he muttered.

"I see." Now it was Seren's turn to be surprised. "Not... _ever_? So when you say 'seeing' someone, you mean..."

He trailed off, having embarrassed himself. _That's why he was waiting for me like that in the hotel room. He just wanted to have sex with me._

Seren quickly took another large drink from his beer without even thinking about it.

~

"I mean we've slept together more than once," he shrugged. "And hung out, _outside_ of the bedroom."

Pax crumpled his finished can and took aim at the trash shoot, his tongue out in concentration before he threw it, hitting home easily.

"I tend to move on, they tend to move on. It is what it is, kitten. You connect with people in whatever way you can, and between the sheets is my favorite," he laughed.

~

"Oh."

Seren watched Pax throw the beer can, smiling slightly when it reached the trash. He didn't know what a life like that would be like, but he couldn't judge the other man if that was what made him happy. And of course, it would help if he knew what it was like to _be_ with anyone. At all. Maybe it was just that good.

"I guess so," he shrugged. "You, uh... know you don't have to hang out with me when you're not teaching me stuff. I probably seem really..."

He couldn't think of the word he wanted. "Hey, you want more beer, right?" he suggested quickly to distract from it, jumping up to grab another can for Pax.

~

"Sure, I was just about to go, but if you're getting up, that'd be great," Pax said cheerily.

He watched Seren while going back to his food, "You seem... Fine? I'm not bored. We're hanging out right now, aren't we? Do I _seem_ bored, kitten?"

~

Seren handed him the can, shaking his head as he retook his seat. "No, I guess not. But just in case, I thought I'd say. Maybe we're..."

His eyebrows lowered in confusion as he tried to grasp what he wanted to say. "...really different? So I wasn't sure you'd like being around me."

This was entirely stupid. Why was he even talking like this? He grabbed his beer can, distracting himself, and downed the rest.

"Oh... wow," he said in surprise, staring at it.

~

Recognizing the first stages of tipsiness, Pax smirked, "You okay there?"

He popped the tab on his own beer and stirred the diminishing contents of his bowl, "You know that differences are more interesting than if I was talking to my exact double, right? And hey, who said different was bad?"

~

"I'm fine," Seren replied, a bit of an odd rising inflection to the words. He wasn't bad... yet.

"Yeah, yeah. I know all that. But like... I don't know. Just because you liked how I looked... you came over to me. And if you hadn't, none of this would have happened. Maybe I'd be headed to jail by now." He paused to contemplate that for a few moments. "There's no beer in jail. Like you said, differences are fine. And I should have more too."

He really shouldn't. But his bowl was empty, and what else was there to do? Seren wandered off to grab another can, sitting back down again with a more noticeable smile at Pax.

~

Pax had slumped more comfortably into his chair, smiling back at Seren.

"Yeah, I did approach you, because I can tell things about you," he laughed. He sipped his beer idly for a moment, his eyes remaining locked on Seren's face.

"Hey, wanna play a game?" he said suddenly, a twinkle in his eye.

~

"Tell things about me?" Seren demanded, his voice getting louder.

He had opened the second can of beer. There was no way he could drink it.

"A game? Sure, I'm fuc_king_ good at games," he said proudly, beaming at Pax.

~

"Yeah? Oooh, okay. It's a guessing game. I say a fact that I believe to be true about you, and if I'm right, you have to drink," he grinned, leaning forward over the table towards him.

"And then you tell me something about me, and if it's true, I drink. You game?"

~

"Sure! It sounds kinda dumb. But I'll play." He leaned toward Pax as well, unsure why. "'Kay, go."

~

"You did some sort of higher education," Pax said immediately, his eyes slightly narrowed, searching intensely. "But not college or uni... An apprenticeship. Something practical. Oh, and if I'm wrong, I have to drink. Same for you."

~

"Um." Seren thought hard for a minute. He was still pretty coherent, if slightly inebriated.

"Yeah. I guess. Sorta." He shrugged. "What kind of question is that though? And you didn't say anything about being specific, so..."

For another moment, he glared at his beer. "Fuck." He took a drink, although by now he really didn't like the taste anymore.

~

"You gotta learn to _play_, kitten, even when you might not know the rules," Pax purred, boldly stroking a finger under Seren's chin.

"Go on."

~

Seren didn't pull away when Pax touched him, instead just staring at his hand.

"Uh, well. You... you used to work at an entirely honest job." He smirked. "I mean like, no criminal stuff."

~

Pax tilted his head, smiling and shaking his head.

"Nope. Drink up, buttercup," he said, stroking Seren's face when he didn't pull away. "My turn. You... You get bored easily. You're smart, you need stimulation. You get bored _all the time_."

~

"What.. but..."

Seren did take a drink, but it was only a tiny sip. He glared at Pax as though daring to tell him otherwise. Then he listened with a frown on his face, even though he leaned slightly into the touch.

"This... isn't fair! I don't like this game. How am I to say if I get bored easily? It's not sub... subjective. Is it?"

~

"Do better, then," Pax smirked. "Look at me. No, properly. There's a million things that happen to a person to shape who they are. Think. What seems obvious about me; a promiscuous peacock of a petty criminal who lives on a shoebox of a ship."

He tilted Seren's chin up to look into his eyes.

~

Suddenly Seren wasn't feeling quite so drunk. Not when his chin was tilted up, and he was staring right into Pax's serious gaze.

He shifted in his chair, just a little.

"You... didn't like the escort from that night. At the casino. So you sent him away. When you could have just... used him. So something must have been off." Seren had averted his eyes by now and was mumbling. He didn't know what made him think of this. Maybe it was their conversation before the game had started. It wasn't even something he thought Pax was trying to make him guess.

~

"Correct," Pax said, audibly pleased, taking his beer and bringing it to his lips.

"What do you think was off, hm? I'll give you a free guess."

~

"Oh. I dunno. He was just fawning all over you. But you didn't want that? I mean, especially from an escort. I thought that's what they did." He was surprised to be right but didn't know what to make of it, his head beginning to feel just a little fuzzy.

~

Pax sipped his beer again.

"There's nothing fun about _pretend_ attraction, Seren," he said softly, "He was pretty, he cost me a shiny UC, but he was... Trained. Robotic, almost. Normal beings are flawed and annoying and awkward, _that's_ attractive. I wanted a person."

~

Seren shrugged, pretending he wouldn't know either way. But in the end, it did make sense to him.

"I guess you're definitely a normal being, then," he muttered.

~

"Ooohhh, wrong. Drink," Pax laughed, tapping his own beer can against Seren's.

~

"Fuck off, that wasn't my question," Seren groaned loudly, refusing to do so.

~

Pax just laughed more, "Okay, okay. Do you have another? If not, I'll continue."

~

"No, I don't," Seren replied, his accent beginning to run a bit thicker. "So hard to think... ugh."

~

"You have a really cute little accent on you, you know that?" Pax said. "I think you grew up on a planet, not a station. Hmm, but where. Close to Earth. Lots of plants. Nice."

~

Seren scoffed, shaking his head. "Nah. It's not really. You have an accent too." There was a buzzing sound in his ears, but he was probably imagining it.

"Ha! No, you're wrong. It was a station colony, not a planet, but there were a lot of plants anyway," he rambled out, giving more info than he might have wanted to.

"You don't eat vegetables because they traumatized you," he babbled just moments later, finding this idea funny. His laughter then sounded slightly drunk.

~

Though he was smiling, Pax sipped his beer, twice; once for the incorrect guess, and once for Seren's guess.

"Actually, yeah. I hate vegetables because I was forced to eat nasty, overboiled veggies while I was still living at the orphanage," he chuckled. "Well done, kitten."

~

Seren looked up shakily and spoke, accent thicker than ever. "Oh shit. Orphanage? So like... shit. You lived in an orphanage." He and Pax were similar in some way, then. Except Seren had been lucky enough to have something that still at least "resembled" parents.

It hadn't been a question, so he didn't volunteer the information. "Ask me one more," he said, voice rising again. "I dare you."

~

"Yeah, up until I was about 13," Pax smiled, shrugging. "It was almost exactly like one of those really old Earth musical movies."

Pax leaned closer, smiling, lightly nibbling his own lip as he looked at him through long eyelashes, "You're attracted to me. And you _hate_ it."

~

There was a long silence as a very drunk Seren stared at Pax as hard as he could currently manage.

"Fuck you," he suddenly said, loudly. "I hate _you_."

He grabbed the beer can and drank, not even wondering why he was deciding that statement to be true. It was beyond his ability to think of much for now.

After he set the can down again, he couldn't think of anything at all. Except slumping with his head down on the table and quickly passing out.

~

Pax blinked with surprise, before sighing and standing, only swaying slightly as he scooped Seren up, patting his cheek.

"Psst. C'mon, kitten, I think that's bedtime," he said, gently shuffling him over and carefully laying him in bed. Again, he pulled Seren's shoes and socks off, tucking him into bed.

He went back to the kitchen to get a large bottle of water. He plopped down on the bed next to Seren and whispered, stroking his hair, "Hey, kiddo, there's a bottle of water right here, you'll need it. Don't puke on me, okay?"

With that, he flopped onto the makeshift mattress of blankets on the floor, rolling around only to strip to his underwear before closing his eyes.


	9. Part 9: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax helps Seren with his hangover; the boys head out for Seren's first lesson in properly cheating at Cybriss.

Seren didn't hear much of what Pax said. All he very clearly remembered was being put into bed, and something about a bottle of water.

Then he woke up later in the morning to a massive headache.

"Oh... oh, fuck," he mumbled, trying to push himself upright. He looked around, squinting, and found the water, quickly grabbing it and taking a drink. He tried to hold on, but...

"Fuck. I need the bathroom." His stomach was churning in a very unpleasant way. With some effort, he got up and stumbled off in that direction, nearly tripping over Pax on the floor, but not quite.

Pax opened his eyes just in time to see Seren stagger over him, and he groaned, bringing himself into a sitting position.

"Oh dear," he chuckled to himself, standing and swiping the bottle of water from the bed, following Seren to the bathroom. He knelt by the toilet, putting a hand on the younger man's back.

Seren's stomach seemed determined to rid itself of literally everything he'd eaten since Pax first took him in. At some point during this, he felt a hand on his back and knew the older man had joined him.

By the time he stopped bringing up anything else, his face was red and his eyes were burning uncomfortably. He was also pretty embarrassed, considering.

"Shit... Pax, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with this. I can't drink that much. And I knew I fucking couldn't!" he groaned, running one shaking hand through his unkempt hair.

Pax rubbed his back, holding Seren's floppy hair away from his face while he heaved, shushing him gently.

When it seemed Seren was able to talk, Pax held out the bottle of water, "Small sips. Don't chug it."

He sat back on his feet, the chill of the metal floor making him shudder slightly, shaking his head, "Hey, no apologies needed, kitten. You okay?"

Taking the water gratefully, Seren sipped at it as instructed. "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. Or I will be. I hope soon."

He focused on breathing, staring at the wall rather than the toilet, not wanting to think about throwing up anymore. "Thanks, though. I mean, you didn't have to. I could have handled it."

There was a long pause as he sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Oh man, I feel like shit."

With his eyes shut, Seren couldn't see the sympathetic grimace on Pax's face, but he could hear the soft sigh and feel the gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Poor you. Hey, I have a great hangover cure, you want me to make you it?" he asked. "It's pretty simple, but it always worked for me when I was a total lightweight."

He chuckled to himself then, awaiting what he thought would be a fiery response.

Still surprised by Pax's continuing kindness, Seren listened with interest until the part where he was called a lightweight.

"I'm not a lightweight!" he snapped, regretting it instantly. "_Fuck_... my head." He clutched at it, groaning. He _was_ a lightweight. That was beyond the point, though. "Sure, if you want to. Can't hurt anything now."

"Get back to bed, then," Pax laughed, purposefully too loudly in the echoing bathroom. "I'll bring you the best hangover cure in this system. Guaranteed!"

He leaped up and wandered off to the kitchen, and there was a clattering of dishes as he started _cooking_.

"Ugh, shut up," Seren groaned, wincing at how loud Pax was talking. "If you say so. Just do it."

Wondering what he had gotten himself into now, the younger man made his way to the bed and slowly laid on it, hoping not to upset his stomach further. When it seemed fine, he relaxed and closed his eyes again, managing to think despite the pain in his head.

At this point, it was true that his feelings toward Pax were changing. It was likely he had just forgotten that night at the club, with everything else that had happened. Still, Pax was actually taking good care of him right now. Even giving him a place to live.

Then there was last night, and the silly game he'd played. Seren had learned that Pax was an orphan, that he never had a real, lasting relationship or an honest job, and that he was apparently a little deeper than he seemed at first, based on what he said about the escort. The older man was still pretty intriguing, and Seren couldn't really pin down what he felt about him at the moment.

Then he remembered the last question, his face turning red now for another reason. He did _not_ imply that he found Pax attractive... did he? Instead of pondering that more, he picked up a pillow and laid it over his face, groaning more softly. He would have to deny it when the other man came back.

Pax returned after around twenty minutes, with a tray containing a large black coffee, and a plate piled high with... Something.

"Coffee and spicy egg toast. It's just bread, coated with eggs, plenty of salt and pepper, and just drowning in butter and hot sauce. I promise, promise, _promise_ this will help. I've never found anything better to stop the nausea, I swear," he explained, sitting with Seren. "And drink your damn water. The coffee has sugar in too. Trust me, the salt and sugar are what you need."

He smiled with surprising warmth, holding the tray ready.

Seren sat up, eying the plate with distaste as Pax described it. "Ew. That's fucking gross. But I guess if you swear by it."

He grimaced as he reached for it, poking at the toast, then grabbing the water to drink some first. Glancing up, he noticed that he _really_ did like Pax's smile.

"So how did you come up with this," he said quickly, trying to forget that, and just sniffing the weird food.

"Heh. Well... You won't like it," Pax shrugged, shifting closer to the wall and leaning against it, watching Seren with amusement, "And you don't have to fucking eat it. Ingrate. So, I was _dying_ one morning, and I couldn't stop wretching, and the matron lady at the orphanage always told sick kids they had to eat something, so your stomach had something to chuck up, and it didn't do so much damage. And eggs always help a crappy stomach. Which is lucky, cuz at the time, it was all I had. The first time, I didn't have hot sauce, but it worked anyway. The second time I did it, I added the hot sauce just cuz I like it, but it helped _even more_."

"Whatever. You made it for me, so I'm going to fucking eat it. _Thanks_." Maybe it was how awful he felt, but it also seemed more normal to be acting like this around Pax instead.

He listened to the story, still not taking a bite, but poking all around it instead. "I see. Well, it's good you learned that, then. I didn't know."

Hearing Pax mention the orphanage again, he took a piece of the toast quickly. "...oh shit that is nasty," he said, screwing his face up.

Pax rolled his eyes, and picked up the tray from under Seren's nose, moving over to the table.

"Fine, I'll eat it, and you can suffer," he said sweetly, taking a bite of the other slice, chewing with a bright smile as he stared at Seren.

"No!" Seren yelped, trying to jump up fast but failing because he still felt too weak.

He made his way over, sitting down at the table and reaching for the tray again. "I'll eat your gross food, you dumb jerk." He grabbed at the slice he had started on, biting into it defiantly and glaring. "And if I throw up more, it's your fault."

"You wooon't," Pax sang softly, brushing a floppy strand of blue hair from Seren's face. Even pale with nausea, he was cute. Like, really cute.

It was common for Pax to picture bedding people he found attractive, but the thought of Seren's sweet face beneath him, his eyes wide and pleading... It was delicious. Even if it never happened, which... Yeah, from his attitude, seemed likely, he would get by on that image alone.

Seren pointedly moved his head away from Pax's reach and continued to eat the toast, though he whined and complained about it the whole way through. It was just _that bad_.

"Nasty. But thanks. I feel okay..."

He sat back, frowning. "About last night, though. Um, I wasn't necessarily telling the truth about any of that. You know." He tried to act indifferent, but couldn't look at Pax anymore.

"Oh..."

Pax frowned slightly. He'd been so sure, and he'd been enjoying Seren's company, he thought the younger man had felt as comfortable.

_Why_ did he even care if Seren had lied to him?! Just because he wanted to fuck him? Because he felt sorry for him? He'd lied to almost everyone he'd slept with, so it couldn't be that...

"Well, whatever, I'll take it with a pinch of salt, then," he said cheerily, still munching on the toast he'd made. _He_ enjoyed it, at least.

Was Pax... disappointed? At first he seemed to be, then he didn't.

Seren started drinking his water faster, followed by the coffee, hoping to get the flavor of the toast out of his mouth. "Uh... well. Honestly, maybe it was just the last one I didn't tell the truth about," he mumbled. He had started to sink down in his chair, staring straight ahead to avoid giving himself away.

Rolling his eyes, Pax nodded, licking his fingers as he finished his stolen slice of toast, "Okay, okay, kitten. I get it, you're only here for my teaching. That's cool."

He stood, making his way over to the closet and grabbing a towel before tugging off his underwear, still fully in Seren's view.

"I'm going for a shower. Get ready when you're done. We're going to a casino," he said, slipping away into the bathroom. Shortly after he left, the sound of the shower started up, and the muffled noise of Pax... Singing?

Surprised when Pax gave up so quickly, Seren sat up just in time to see the older man totally just taking his underwear off with him right in the room.

"Pa-" he started in surprise, but he was gone too fast. Not before Seren saw plenty of his ass, though. The tattoo was definitely an interesting choice...

Face red, he slumped back at the table again. A casino? Already? He did feel better, but he was surprised they were moving so fast. Then again, he wasn't exactly here to just hang out. He was here to learn something, and make enough money to afford another ship.

Pax's strange... singing made him smirk at least as he headed to the bedroom, finding one of his few sets of clean trousers, shirt and jacket, deciding it might be better to wait in the kitchen until Pax was done in the shower. Because at this point, he totally didn't trust him to not walk in nude again. And he needed a shower too, realizing how gross he must smell after throwing up, and that bizarre food.

It wasn't long before Pax returned, proving Seren's assumption right when he was only in his towel, precariously tucked around his waist.

"Shower's free. I think there's a fresh towel in the locker thing in there," he said, one hand grasping the towel just as it started to slip from his hips.

He moved over to the closet before letting the towel drop so he could concentrate on searching for clothes, still humming to himself.

"Thanks," Seren offered, standing up quickly. He was just in time to escape before Pax dropped his towel. Not that he _minded_ looking, but...

He hurried through the shower, just focusing on making sure he was clean and smelling decent again. Having brought his clean clothes in with him, he put them on before heading back out to where Pax was waiting. He did have to wonder whether the other man would have cared if he just got dressed out here the way he had, though.

"So, uh... you said we're going to a casino," he said awkwardly, folding his arms. "So you're going to teach me something or...?"

Pax was adjusting a supple leather jacket and ruffling his hair into what counted as his usual style, now fully dressed.

"Yep. I'm going to take you to Equilibrium, a shitty lowlife one in the Umbra district, you know it? They're so lax, they'll never spot us fucking with a Cybriss table," he explained, pocketing some loose UCs from his bedside.

"Yeah, I know it... never been there, though." He didn't say it was because he had always been kind of scared to go to places like the Umbra district. He'd just stuck to the well-lit, lower crime, generally _safer_ areas of the station.

"That sounds good, though, if they won't notice." He tried to make his tone confident, but wasn't sure he was succeeding. Hopefully, the scared feeling passed in time. "I'm ready to go when you are."

Pax didn't pick up on the change in tone, instead starting out of the ship.

"We won't be there too long, you just need to understand the basics, and be able to practice," he explained, "And you clearly know the basics, soooo..."

He grinned, beckoning him to follow.

"Yeah, I totally know the basics," Seren mumbled, following Pax. "I just suck."

He kept quiet as they walked, and the station changed from reasonably friendly to downright creepy. Seren was probably walking too close to Pax, busy watching each shady individual who walked by just in case they decided to attack. Which of course they didn't, but he thought it was better to be safe.

"And where did you learn about cheating with Cybriss tables? You have someone who taught you?" he finally spoke up to Pax, just before they reached the Equilibrium.

"Aw, c'mon. You don't _suck_. I just think..." Pax began, but stopped. Telling Seren he was probably desperate and shaky wouldn't help.

As they moved through districts, Pax remained as confident as he always was, unphased by the passing strangers or the increasingly dim lighting around them.

"Yeah. I was part of a bigger group back in the Prima system, and one of them, Cybriss is his thing. He knows every way to cheat, some I swear only work for him. We all shared skills," Pax explained. "I was the youngest at the time, so I absorbed more than I passed on, but I shared anything I had, y'know?"

Seren nodded, storing this additional information about Pax in his mind. He wanted to ask more about the group he had been a part of, and what else he had learned. But now wasn't the time, and he didn't really know whether the older man would share more.

"I see. And you're choosing to share with me now," Seren replied with a slight smile, looking ahead of them. "That's the casino, isn't it... I looked up every single one on the 'net when I first got here. I decided against visiting it, obviously," he muttered, eyeing the dark exterior of the building warily.

"I may not have been a good... School... Guy, but I know the importance of knowledge, kitten," Pax said. He knew he meant 'student' but found it funnier, and more to the point to refer to himself that way.


	10. Part 10: [Equilibrium]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren has his first lesson in proper cheating at Cybriss, along with a little practice.

The casino was grimy, dank and run-down, and the door groaned in protest when Pax thumped a hand on the release and led them in.

There was fuzzy, repetitive music, much like Pax's in the hotel room, playing in the low lit, sprawling casino. The purple-haired man led the way to a disused Cybriss table, pulling a console free of its holder without a care for being seen.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to one of the worn-out stools.

Pax's phrasing did make Seren smile. "Of course," he replied, understanding exactly what he meant. There were just some people who didn't do as well in a traditional setting.

Equilibrium was everything Seren expected. That is to say, he hadn't expected anything at all. He glanced around, noting the patrons were just about as rough as the casino itself. The music was also vaguely irritating. He watched Pax just pull a console free with a look of surprise, looking around in alarm, but no one even _cared_.

"Uh... right," he said nervously, sitting where he was told.

Pax turned the console over, showing Seren the bottom of it, with the rigid panel, as he sat back down.

"So. You know how to remove this without anyone seeing; I spotted that much. So show me."

He set it in a different holder and shifted away to the other panel, pretend-poking where the console would be.

"Lalala, I am playing Cybriss," he mumbled, glancing at Seren.

"Yeah," he replied nervously, unable to help himself. Even if no one cared, he still felt... awkward.

It didn't take him long to loosen and remove the panel, regardless. "See, easy," he muttered, smirking when he saw what Pax was doing. "It's the fucking wires. I just can't get them moved right without looking directly at it." He was already frustrated just thinking about it.

"Hey, calm down," Pax said, glancing behind them. Of course, no one was looking, but he always liked to check. "Now. Find the thickest. It should go from left to right, and you'll find a flat plastic attachment that splits into three. Got it?"

Seren tried to calm, though it wasn't easy. There was something about cheating at the casino that just made him so... tense. Even if this wasn't "cheating." Except it kind of was. Sort of.

"Okay..." he said, feeling around. The thickest was easy enough, but the one that split did tend to give him trouble. He focused on his sense of touch, concentrating as hard as he could for now. "Ah, got it."

"You need to concentrate for this bit, cutiepie," Pax purred, leaning close. "One side of the plastic thingy has tiny numbers, they're embossed into it or something. Find them, they're hard, but I use my nail, 'cuz my thumb isn't that fucking sensitive to find four minuscule little numbers."

Too nervous to register the nickname, Seren just nodded and began to use a fingernail to lightly run across the plastic attachment. "Here they are... wow, I didn't actually know about this," he gasped softly, continuing to feel them in order to form a sense of familiarity. He thought he had read everything...

"They're almost not there unless you know about them," Pax sighed, resting his head on his hand. "Now, that side _down_, so the numbers face the floor. Careful, when you turn it, the screen can flicker if it's an older machine, so you can give yourself away."

Seren nodded again, focusing and turning it down as slowly as he could while watching the screen anxiously.

"I think I got it this time... Oh, shit, is that how you spotted me before?" he whispered, wincing.

"Yyyeeeppp," the older man said, quirking an eyebrow as the last breath of the word left him. "It was little, but I caught you. Cheater."

"It takes one to know one, huh," Seren shot back, though he was blushing. "So what do I do _now_? I really hate this fucking part."

"You need to be calm, for a fucking start," Pax chuckled lowly. "You need the third one along, the third wire. They're purposefully tangled to avoid the dishonest, like yourself. Find it and follow it."

"Alright, alright," he snapped, annoyed but trying to be calmer. He tried to untangle the wires to the point where he could tell it was the third one, moving his hand up it slowly. "Follow it to where?"

"There will be a small circuit board," Pax explained, "When you get there, find a little bendy thing, and gently bend it to touch where the wire meets the board."

"Ah..." Seren breathed softly. With Pax's instruction, he found exactly what he needed without having to worry about it too much. He did as he was told, nodding eagerly. "I did it. I feel like I'm always messing this part up. I get so... nervous."

The central screen lit up a win, bursting to life, but without a bet, no figure displayed.

"Excellent. Practice a couple more times, I'll activate the other consoles so we can have a fake game," Pax beamed, getting up and moving between the other seats, activating each console and placing single credit bets.

"Okay." Seren's voice was shaky, but he smiled at the praise. He'd actually _done_ it, even if it wasn't for real yet. For a while, he fiddled with the console, putting it back together properly and then repeating the process, until he felt reasonably confident about what he was doing.

"I think I'm ready," he said, setting that console in its original position and standing to switch to another seat. "But maybe you could tell me about some of the smaller details... Like how I control the size of the win? Obviously I can't win big every time, or they'll be suspicious. How often do I even try to lose if I'm doing this?"

"Ah, that's tricky. You're doing well, though, so I reckon you'll manage. You need the use multiple wires are once, the same way I showed you, but with the first and fourth. So you want the biggest win, you gather them up and push all three, you want a moderate win, you do just one and four. I like this third one the most, because its the easiest, but you're right, when wins are the same, it's really suspicious. Give it a try," he grinned.

Seren nodded, trying to memorize this information. He _had_ read it before, but he hadn't absorbed it right. Which was weird, he was usually so good at learning things. What was his problem with this?

He sat down, and even if no one was watching, he took very great care to be inconspicuous as he repeated the process on an actual working console. "Make sure I don't give myself away, alright?" he asked Pax quietly. "I mean... you know what I'm doing, but watch to see I don't act like I'm doing it."

"You're already doing better," Pax assured him, watching him like a hawk, his eyes slightly narrowed before he smirked. "Lean forward slightly. Oh, or you could do what I did and bring a pretty distraction. Get something sexy writhing in your lap like my companion the other night, and no one will notice a thing."

"Er... yeah." He shrugged, not thinking he could do that. For one thing, he'd need someone small in order to be comfortable. For another, he tended to want to be _on_ someone else's lap, not the other way around. He wasn't about to explain _that_ to Pax.

He leaned forward, placing his bet and then twitching the wires into place; all three this time to start with. As the screen lit up, he beamed triumphantly, which was definitely not giving anything away. It was just an expression of delight that he had done well.

"Oh, look at that," he remarked casually to Pax, though he couldn't help but smirk just a little too.

"Beginners luck, pet," Pax beamed back, a genuine wide smile with amusement in the tone behind it. "Let's see you beat me again."

Pax placed another legitimate bet, poking the screen and waiting, watching Seren critically, though the younger man was doing incredibly well, having picked it up so fast.

Seren snorted confidently, resetting the console. "Beginner's luck, my ass. I can beat you easily."

He tried to act normally as possible once again during the process, only moving the wires this time for a moderate win. As his screen lit up, he couldn't help but let his gaze dart over to Pax's screen to see how he had fared.

With an honest play, Pax has only managed a small win, and he nodded sagely.

"Nicely done, kiddo. You ready for a real game now, hm?" he asked, winking at him. "We'll go to a full table, see how you fare, then we can head to a decent casino."

"Hey, don't call me that, I think I said already," Seren replied grumpily, despite how pleased he felt otherwise. "You're gonna make everyone think I'm even _younger_ if they hear you."

He nodded, standing up. "Yeah, sure." His gaze flicked over to one of the proper groups of beings who were actually playing, and he looked back at Pax again uncertainly. "A decent casino, though? Today? Already? I just wonder if that's too fast. I'm not like, real experienced or something."

The older man tilted his head, giving him a lopsided grin and a lazy shrug, "Oh, please. No one here gives a shit if you're a kid or not. Oh, I _know you aren't_, don't look at me like that."

He leaned back in his chair, pushing his jaw out in an exaggerated expression of thought, "I suppose we can do that in a couple of days if you're not so confident..."

Seren, who had been glaring ferociously, finally looked away. "Doesn't matter what they think about me here in general, I just don't want to get taken as a kid."

He frowned, deciding he wasn't going to back down after all. Squaring his shoulders, he put on his most determined expression. "No, we'll do it tonight. I'm confident, it's not that hard."

Pax held his hands up and nodded, "Alright, firecracker, then let's find a proper game in here and go from there."

He pushed his chair back and stood, swaying his hips very deliberately, even though Seren had said he was not attracted to him. Someone in the casino would be, and he loved to perform.

The table they joined was full of humans, nasty looking men who barely acknowledged Pax as he sat down.

"Afternoon, lads," he said cheerily, "Room for two?"

"There's two fucking chairs, isn't there?" one grunted, kicking the empty chair. "Hurry it up."

Pax glanced at Seren and then flicked his gaze to the chair.

_Sit down and be quiet._

Seren raised an eyebrow at this new term for himself, then shrugged. It was better than 'kiddo' or the others. He raised the other eyebrow as he watched Pax's hips. He was kind of annoyed with himself for not being able to look away immediately.

He had the feeling he was dreadfully out of place here. Pax fit in much better, but he was definitely still above the other men at the table in general appearance. Seren felt that his youthful face and body type definitely marked him _as a kid_, so he tried to put an irritable expression on to look a little more intimidating.

He did see Pax's indication that he should sit in that particular chair, and he did so without speaking. What would he say, anyway? Ask about how the game had been going? Station weather? He'd probably get laughed at.

His eyes kept moving to Pax, though, unable to help himself. It was a way of reassuring himself, but he wasn't thinking about whether it would give anything away. Not that these men seemed awfully observant.

The game went on, with Pax confidently place bets, talking loudly to the table at large, making some of the men laugh a little, though one seemed irritable, as he eventually stood, hissing a few curses in a different language, and left.

Eventually, Pax's gaze slid to Seren, looking over at him the same way he had the first night they met, a small, flirty grin on his face. He winked, so fast it was almost as if he hadn't.

When Pax looked at him, Seren happened to be looking right back. He recognized that expression, the one he'd first seen that night that seemed so long ago, but was actually more like... fuck, just two nights ago. Then he dared to actually _wink_ at him, even though it was barely noticeable.

Seren had to swear at himself a lot internally for blushing before he jerked his gaze back to his console. Now he supposed Pax was going to think he _was_ attracted.

The regular betting was going fine. Seren waited at least ten minutes before he decided to cheat.

Slowly he leaned forward, pretending to be focusing intently on the numbers, when he was actually feeling for the attachment the way Pax had shown him. He turned it over, then his gaze flicked up to the older man, trying to see if he had noticed any flicker in the screen.

While Pax had his eyes down, when Seren looked at him properly, it was just about apparent that he was not focused on the screen in front of him, more that he was looking at Seren in his peripheral vision, watching, observing. The younger man's movements were a far cry from the other night, much smoother and more confident, so much so that Pax had to glance up properly and _watch_ to even see him. And even then, it was only because he knew what it was he was watching for.

He caught Seren's eye and jerked one shoulder just slightly, smirking as he placed a bet and waited for the screen to display the winner.

Pax seemed to be indicating that he hadn't noticed. Seren nearly smiled triumphantly, but managed to hold himself back until he had finished his manipulation of the wires, and the screen flashed up that he had won a moderate amount of UCs, which was exactly what he had aimed for.

He didn't look back up again, waiting until a few more rounds had passed and managing to get another, more substantial win. By the time most of the table had begun to disperse, he had actually made a profit, nearly fifty credits.

"So?" he asked Pax in a low tone, once they joined each other again away from the tables, having collected all they were due. "How was it? Notice any filthy cheaters this time?" He couldn't help but smirk.

Cybriss, _honest_ Cybriss was not Pax's game, and he'd come away with only ten UCs, but he gave Seren a lopsided grin.

"Not today I didn't, but there was this one guy at the table... What a cutie," he purred. "Seemed to be doing pretty well too, maybe I'll get him to buy me a drink."

"Oh yeah?" Seren replied, unimpressed but smirking as he played along. "Which one? Maybe he'll buy me a drink, too."

He was proud of how well he'd done, but the mention of buying anything had made him think. "Did you... you know, want a share of my winnings? Any money I had to start with was yours. I was flat broke the time you first talked to me, in case I didn't mention that. Or I could just give it all to you, I sorta owe you as it is."

He began to rummage in his pockets, trying to find all the loose UCs he had stowed there.

Pax held up a hand, "Oh, stop it. Don't. I don't care. We're trying to get you back on your feet, kitten, you keep it."

Pax sensually stroked Seren's arm, turning his hand and placing his small winnings in the smaller man's hand with a smirk.

Seren frowned but shrugged and stopped trying to collect his UCs. He was slightly exasperated as Pax touched him, but surprised when he was handed whatever the other man had won, small as it was.

"Alright, if you're sure," he shrugged, smiling now in spite of himself. "So, we'll go to a decent casino tonight? I'll buy you a drink, anyway." Just the thought of going back to a casino, with money, and being able to win even better now... He felt the pull toward it again.

Even if he had always wanted to win legitimately before.

Pax laughed, slightly unlike his usual chuckle, as he put an arm around Seren and started them towards the doors.

"Well, I think you owe me that much, at the very least," he said brightly. "You did well. We'll go back to the ship for something to eat, then I'll take you to a better place. Not the Lucky Star. Somewhere... less showy. I think I know a place. You know Cause and Effect? It's a pretty common place for gambling, even if most folk go for the bars upstairs instead."

Once again, Seren didn't try to pull away once Pax had an arm around him. He really should have. He knew Pax wanted to help him by this point, but he also knew it wasn't a secret that Pax would also like to sleep with him. So why wasn't he distancing himself more?

_Because you're an idiot_, he told himself. But it was nice to be close to someone.

"Thanks," he muttered. "Oh, right." He was kind of hungry. For something other than that disgusting toast. "I've been there once, actually. I liked it well enough. I think I just fell into a routine after a while." Maybe if he went to a casino he hadn't frequented much, it would be better.

"Think I'm still nervous," he confessed as they walked, passing back through the darker streets. "A more mainstream place like that... well, there is better security. What if I forget something?" He was worrying to himself, mostly, but he happened to be doing it aloud.

The gesture was relaxed, easy, and Pax seemed quite content with Seren under his arm, thinking idly that the smaller man slotted quite nicely under there as they walked the much more crowded streets back to the sprawling shipyard. The weather modulator had decided to drizzle lightly, the sort of rain that didn't bother Pax as much, as it was too light to be anything other than a fine mist.

"Well, I'll tell you what, if you lose your nerve after lunch, we'll go do something else, until you feel more confident, hm?" he suggested, "But if you forget, you forget. It doesn't matter. So long as you don't get caught, you can fuck up as many times as you wanna." He glanced down at him pointedly, "But you won't."

"Alright," Seren murmured, pulling away finally once they had reached the shipyard. The walk close to Pax had been somewhat mesmerizing, and he really thought he needed to stop. "Of course I won't." He wasn't sure why he was agreeing. He didn't know if that was true.


	11. Part 11: [Siren Song, Cause and Effect]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren stop at the ship for some lunch, then make an unexpected purchase before reaching Cause and Effect.

It turned out Seren was pretty quick to memorize the passcode. But he had always been good with remembering and organizing numbers. He glanced around the Siren, still close to Pax, still nervous.

"So. Noodles?" he suggested, a sarcastic smirk covering for him.

Beside him, Pax was stretching, watching him with the passcode, smirking as he saw that he'd managed it easily. A small part of him wondered if he ought to change the code when Seren left, or if the younger man would leave the station completely. Not that it mattered to him, really.

"I'm gonna make some noodles, you're welcome to do whatever you want," Pax shrugged. "You bought enough food. What did you have in mind?"

"Sounds good then," Seren replied, kind of relieved he didn't have to make anything extra or eat noodles himself. "Hopefully I keep it down this time..." There was no way he planned to drink so much later.

He let Pax get started on his own food first, then looked around with a sheepish grin. "Okay, this sounds weird, but I'm really craving a cucumber sandwich? Maybe two, so it's enough. I admit to being weird, though." He started rummaging around for the bread, which he had thought he left next to the vegetables, but had actually ended up across the room.

Pax was already peeling the lid back on a large cup of noodles, which the label declared as katsu flavor, scrunching his nose up as Seren spoke.

"That's gross, cutiepie, I'm not gonna lie, but if that's what you want, you go for it," he beamed, winking at the smaller man as he heated up some water.

"To each their own," Seren replied loftily, then smirked. "I call your _noodles_ gross."

He had already started slicing cucumbers, but not as thin as they should be, since he figured he was hungry enough to just devour the sandwich straight after assembling it so the bread wouldn't get soggy. Only adding salt and pepper, he was completely satisfied. He couldn't explain the weird stuff he craved, sometimes.

"So how're the noodles? Same old?" he asked cheekily between large bites of his completed sandwich.

By the time Seren was done making his sandwich, Pax was greedily tucking into his noodles, slurping in a decidedly undignified way, but looked pretty pleased with himself.

"Pretty great, thanks," he said smugly. "There's nothing wrong with cup noodles, they're quick, easy, and cheap." He winked at Seren with a smirk, "Just how I like it."

Pax's slurping was a little irritating if Seren was honest, but he ignored that right now, just rolling his eyes. "Figures. But then when something of good quality comes along, you're not going to know what to do with it."

He paused. Was he still talking about food, or did he just imply that he was something better quality...? Hurriedly he turned around so he couldn't see Pax anymore, cramming the rest of the sandwich in his mouth, which was also rather undignified.

"Depends," Pax said carefully, eyeing the smaller man as he tipped the remaining broth from his cup into his mouth before turning to wash his hands.

"I'm yet to find any quality I _don't_ know how to handle," he said, smirking at him.

Seren chose to pretend Pax hadn't said anything at all, instead cleaning up the cucumber peels and returning the bread to its storage container, his face strangely warm. In spite of what he'd said, he still had to wonder...

No, it wasn't worth thinking about. Someone like Pax would just laugh at him, with his total lack of experience. He didn't need that.

"So we're ready to go?" he asked casually, turning around then. "Do you have some sort of plan for this? Or do we just walk in, sit down and start playing?"

"Yeah, I'm good to go. Raring, even," Pax laughed, grabbing his bag once again, but this time taking a few bits and pieces from it and shoving them in his pockets before throwing the bag in the rough direction of his bedroom.

"Can do it either way, cutiepie. I usually like to act the casual gambler. Go in, get a drink, maybe chat someone up a little. Depends how long you wanna be there. Sometimes it stands you in good stead to make nice with a few off duty dealers- the ones there will have uniforms-, and wait until your new BFF attends a Cybriss table or whatever your game is, cuz it makes cheating much easier if the dealer thinks your a nice guy," he explained, opening his comm device and tapping idly before pocketing it again.

"Alright," Seren replied, thinking it over. "It's still just after midday, we might as well go and make ourselves comfortable, try to make it easier. I need practice at that too, I guess. Then hopefully by early tonight..."

He trailed off purposefully, but he hoped that by tonight he would be a much more accomplished cheat at Cybriss.

"I don't know the way to Cause and Effect from the shipyard," he admitted, shrugging his jacket on again. "Do you? I was only there the one time, but I just ended up preferring the Lucky Star and others near it."

Listening with the odd nod of his head, Pax grinned, "Good idea. No one pays the long time gamblers any mind, and we can move between tables, pretend to be looking for the 'friendly' machines. I like your thinking."

He patted his pockets one last time and started out, once again putting his arm around Seren's shoulders as he fell into step beside him. Even with their height difference, it seemed they evened out well in their pacing. Pax had long, lazy strides, while Seren seemed naturally quicker.

"Yeah, I know my way up to a point. Once we get to the Twilight district I get a bit lost, so I'll get us directions. I have a Syszik friend who owns a café there, he'll direct us. He knows how much that area confuses me," Pax laughed.

Seren frowned as Pax put an arm around him again, but still didn't move away. He was impressed that their paces matched each other's somehow, at least.

"That's good. What about a map on your comm?" he asked idly, noticing a very tall, thin being watching them curiously as they passed.

"So you, uh.... walk like this with everyone?" he mumbled next, keeping his eyes down.

"Nope," he said simply. "But this is pretty comfy. Isn't it? You have the ability to just tell me to move though, kitten, if you're uncomfortable."

Pax didn't seem to notice them being observed, pulling out his comm and bringing up a holographic map that projected a few inches above the device.

"Yeah, I know. I don't _dislike_ it," he muttered, still not telling Pax to move. "Just kinda weird."

He glanced at the map in appreciation, able to read it right away. "I love these. I used to have a comm." After a long pause, he added, "I sold it." The thought was strangely depressing all over again.

Pax suddenly and sharply turned them off course, leading Seren towards a shopping area.

"You need a _comm_ in this fucking day and age, Seren," he said, audibly surprised. "C'mon, we're getting you one. Right now."

"But-" Seren protested, surprised to be pulled around so fast. "Pax, it's fine. I actually sold it quite a while back... I've been fine without one." That wasn't strictly true, as there had been a lot of things that would have been _easier_ with a comm.

"Besides, it's too expensive," he muttered, even as Pax was steering him into a shop that sold electronic gear. "You can't just buy me a comm. Then I'll owe you for that, too." He would be grateful if this happened, but he was also kind of worried about being _too much_ in debt to someone like the older man.

"Look, this is happening, so you may as well relax. What kind of models do you like?" Pax said, heading straight to the similar models to his own; a little known brand that tended to be cheaper without sacrificing quality.

"You can't be without a comm. What if you'd been hurt with Nicks, hm? That's just dumb," he said, "What do you like? What was your old one?"

Seren made a frustrated noise, but ultimately gave up. It seemed like Pax wouldn't be changing his mind. In a way, that also felt safe and comforting, for whatever reason.

"I guess you're right. Uh, my old one was pretty expensive," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'll just get one like yours? Doesn't really matter to me. I'm not going to be picky when someone else is buying."

"Come on, what fucking model," Pax groaned. "I'd rather you have one you know how to use. I told you, I'm doing pretty damn well for myself at the moment. Consider it a gift. My birthday's in like four months, that is more than enough time to arrange the hottest little hooker to pay me a personal visit."

He laughed to himself, completely not serious, but knowing Seren may not realize.

"Alright! Fuck," Seren grumbled, wondering why he was getting so _frustrated_ with Pax when he was apparently just trying to be helpful. He marched over to the previous year's models, pointing at a sleek comm device in a metallic shade of blue.

"CLS-316," he said, folding his arms moodily. "At least it's not the _newest_ version, right? I only had gotten it last year, back when I still had a lot of money left." He cut himself off there, not willing to tell Pax about that. It was definitely nicer than the older man's comm, so he really hoped this was alright.

"Oh... yeah. Good for you," he added uncomfortably, feeling his face was turning red. It wasn't the concept of a 'hooker' that made him embarrassed, it was thinking about Pax with one. For some weird reason. "Thanks for doing this for me. I hope I can, you know, just make it up to you somehow. I'll figure it out."

"CLS-316," Pax said, letting out a low whistle. "Fucking swanky, Mr. Moneybags."

He took down the model and gave the sales clerk a cocky upward nod, "This one."

He paid, along with some insurance, even though he never usually did so. Part of him thought Seren would appreciate that, though he wasn't sure why he wanted that approval.

He handed the smaller man a shiny box with a grin.

"I think you should christen your new comm with my frequency," he said silkily.

"Thanks," Seren said quietly as Pax handed him the box. It was hard to be excited about having a comm again when you'd really rather have been able to buy it yourself. "Insurance, huh... you sure? Thanks again." He didn't admit it, but he was pleased.

He opened the box and powered it on, starting to fiddle with the controls. Of course, it was exactly as he remembered. "Oh yeah? Why?" he snorted. "Other than because you were nice enough to buy it for me. And we really should have a way to communicate when we're not together. For now. Considering we kinda live together."

This all felt embarrassing to him. "We can just do the auto exchange since we're together," he mumbled, holding up the comm as he switched it into frequency exchanging mode.

Pax pulled his own comm back out, pouting slightly to see his battered purple T500 Slikk next to Seren's shiny new model. Maybe he'd get himself a new one soon too...

He prodded the settings, putting the edge of the comm against Seren's with a goofy grin.

"Mmmmm, yeah, take it, bitch," he mumbled, rubbing them together.

For a moment, Seren stared, trying to figure out what Pax was _doing_. The comms didn't need to touch directly...

"Pax, you're really fucking weird, did you know that," he finally said, with a genuine laugh that didn't stop for a little while.

Once they were back on their route, Seren used his own new comm to bring up a map. He smiled brightly, feeling better now. "We don't have to stop and ask for directions this way. I'm eager to get there, and then you can see how great I'll do." He was very optimistic at this point, though unsure whether he was trying to prove he could do it to Pax, or just himself.

The younger man's laugh was infectious, and Pax gave him a wide grin, baring his teeth.

"I dunno, you're laughing, so who is the real weirdo here, hmmm?" he said, quirking an eyebrow.

Happy to not need to use his own comm for the map (it being a lesser model, with a less detailed map), he fell back into step with Seren.

"Well, I look forward to seeing how you do, then, if you're so great," he said.

The streets started to narrow, more and more neon signs lighting their way despite the day cycle of the station, a cluster of different blues, yellows, and reds.

"Oh, there!" Pax said, pointing at the map, then a sign further down.

"How can anyone _not_ laugh at someone so weird," Seren continued, still giggling.

His enthusiasm only diminished a little by the time Pax spotted the Cause and Effect. He still felt himself oddly confident, considering. Inside, it seemed the crowd mainly consisted of what would be considered "regulars," the type that hung around certain casinos for most of the day. It was apparent by how at ease everyone was, most simply lounging at the tables.

"We have time to build up to tonight," he murmured, looking around. "Lots more here then." He turned to look at Pax directly. "You said the bar is upstairs, right? I was never up there. But, uh... I'll take suggestions on what to do first," he said sheepishly.

Pax kept a relaxed posture inside the casino, glancing around and smiling at anyone he made direct eye contact with.

"Yeah, I think the bar's a good start, but keep it soft unless you're nervous," he explained, starting towards the stairs, "And we'll get some practice games in. Settle at a couple of different tables."

The bar was sparse, with the patrons only coming and going as they needed, very few remaining there for social chat. Pax rested against the bar, smiling at the being behind the counter.

"What're you having, kitten?" he said over his shoulder.

Seren nodded, trying to do as Pax did, but thinking there was no way he could pull it off quite so well. He just didn't have that suave and confident air about himself.

When asked about a drink, he shifted uncomfortably. Maybe he should have a little alcohol later, but for now...

"Fortuna Sunrise," he mumbled. It contained a small amount of energy stimulant, and he hoped that might be enough instead. The drink was commonly used in the morning cycle around the station, hence the name.

His voice got louder when he stepped up and spoke again. "But hey, wasn't I supposed to buy you a drink?"

"Two of them," Pax beamed at the barkeep.

He turned at the sound of Seren's voice, slightly more clear and confident, and rested his head on one hand against the bar.

"Oh yeah, I guess you were. Not to worry, it's not like you can just run off on me unless this is all an elaborate scam," he laughed. Much quieter, he added, "Hey, don't fret about it. I'm not."

Seren shrugged, not sure what to make of this. "Yeah. I can't go anywhere. I'll buy you a drink later or something."

While waiting, he tried to casually lean up against the bar next to Pax. "It's no scam, though sometimes I think it would be a lot more fucking simple if it were," he sighed. "I just feel awful about you doing so much for me. Obviously, you wouldn't do it if you didn't _want_ to, but..."

He looked away. "It's especially weird just because I feel like someone like you _shouldn't_ want to help me." Why he needed to bring this up now, when they were just waiting for drinks, was beyond him.

"Wait, whuh?" Pax said with a frown as their drinks were set down next to them. He frowned at the smaller man as he took a long sip of his drink, trying to determine what the hell he meant.

Someone like him? He felt the weird delayed sting one experienced when they may have been insulted, but weren't sure. Did he have Seren wrong? Was he some sort of classist, thinking Pax was just a useless thug? It certainly hadn't seemed that way so far, but...

"Hm?" Seren lifted an eyebrow at Pax over his glass as he took a drink. Fortuna Sunrise had a distinctly orange flavor.

"Well, I mean, look at you. You're successful, you've got plenty of skills and other stuff like... uh, the augments. You... you know. You look the part. Seem to have the personality for it. Why would someone like _you_ want to help someone like _me_." He indicated himself with his free hand. "Nothing to my name, pretty much a failure at what I've tried recently... y'know." Wisely, he chose not to say any of that out loud here.

Pax narrowed his eyes, sipping his drink for a long moment.

"You know... Just how many times while I was growing up that I hoped for a kind stranger to help me out? I never wanna be the sort of asshole who sees someone in need and doesn't help. Look out for number one, always, but if number one is hunky dory, why not look out for someone who needs it?" he said with a shrug.

"And while we're at it, material goods and financial success mean nothing as to what sort of person you are."

Seren listened, keeping his gaze averted, but he nodded. It was really kind of Pax to do this for him, and he was glad the older man felt this way.

"Well, thanks. And I get it. Heh, I know that... I mean, you're still kind of a jerk, aren't you?"

He was looking defiantly at Pax, even though he didn't know what to expect. So he chose to smirk, setting his empty glass down and starting to wander off. "Gonna go check out the tables, mingle. Or try to."

"Damn right I am," Pax grumbled, downing the last of his drink and watching Seren go.

"Oh, so... You wanna go alone?" he asked, pulling some UCs from his pocket and counting them. "Meet me in a couple hours?"

"It's good practice, right?" Seren asked, glancing around himself again. "Might as well. Maybe it's better to not seem too connected to each other." He gave Pax a nod. "Two hours, then."


	12. Part 12: [Cause and Effect, Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren attempts to put his new knowledge of cheating at Cybriss to use, but will it really be that simple?

Those two hours felt a lot longer to Seren. At first it was fine, as he was able to move around the room with ease and check out all the games the casino offered. They were different from what he remembered, so had clearly been changed. At least the Cybriss tables were still there, as they always were. Pretty much every casino would have Cybriss, popular as it was.

He even managed short conversations with a few of the regular patrons. Still, not even an hour later, he was unfortunate enough to catch the attention of one regular, an almost impossibly large, burly Araxtern male who seemed to think he was "very cute and delicate." A phrase which he repeated, multiple times.

Without the skills to quite manage to slip away, he spent the rest of his time in conversation with the Araxtern, not learning a whole lot except about their species' major exports, his extended trips to the station, and of course, that Seren was very cute and delicate.

"Fuck," he muttered in irritation, finally having made a decent excuse and gotten away from the alien male. It was time to look for Pax, who Seren felt sure had a more productive time.

Pax accepted that reasoning well enough, and slipped away to play a few games himself.

He wasn't much of a gambler unless he was cheating, so he slipped away to one of the games he knew he could do; finding himself at one of the long tables with a small crowd, playing a few rounds of chance while chatting up some of the patrons. No one particularly interested him, but he had some conversations that suggested a couple of the Cybriss tables had not been paying out well, and he made a note to avoid them; that would look suspicious.

By the time Seren found Pax, he was sat on a low couch, another Fortuna Sunrise in his hand and a couple of beings around him, enraptured by the story he was telling.

"I still have that guy's shoe, as well! You'd never believe anyone could be that drunk," he finished, to a few good guffaws, and he looked up as Seren approached. He stood, waving a hand to them, "'Scuse me, folks. Have a good one."

He wrapped an arm about Seren's shoulders and beamed, "Heeey. How's it going?"

"Hey," Seren replied, looking rather glum. He ducked his head slightly once Pax put an arm around him. "Not great. I'm not good at this mingling... thing." He wanted results, but he'd prefer to get them directly, rather than going through multiple channels.

"I had a few conversations but nothing too amazing. I didn't get any interesting info. What about you? Seems like you might have done better." He thought it would have been nice to appear as the older male had, relaxed in conversation, but right now he just couldn't do it.

Pax gave Seren a light, friendly squeeze about the shoulders, jiggling him, "Heeey, not everyone is a talker. Heh, I've been told I'm too much of one. You seem... I dunno, not shy, just... Introverted. Nothing wrong with that, kitten. My new friends back there reckon there's a high scoring table by the change dispenser, so we could start there, it won't look so suspicious. But it also means your winnings won't be so big. Up to you."

"Hm." Seren could _feel_ himself blushing, which he felt was strange in this situation. "Guess you could call me that. I never really..." He decided to stop there, shaking his head.

"I'm glad one of us is a talker, anyway. And that you got some information." He smiled brightly then, eager. "Cool. Let's just start with that one? I'm looking to be as... uh, un-suspicious as I can be at first." Glancing around, he could see the casino was definitely more active, as the early evening crowd began to filter in. He tried to glance casually up at Pax, reassuring himself. "Are we ready to start right away?"

"Good idea. Do you need a bit of that liquid courage?" Pax chuckled, finding he wasn't so fussy about letting go of Seren just yet, and thus keeping his arm around him a bit longer.

"You seem pretty eager, actually, I dunno that you'd need the drink."

"No, no. I'm fine. I want to be careful tonight," Seren insisted. Later he might wish he _had_ taken up the offer, but right now he was so incredibly sure he could do this. He would prove to Pax that he could do well right from the start.

To show how in control he felt, he began leading the way toward the Cybriss tables once the other man had removed his arm (which Seren had felt so comfortable under that he'd hardly noticed.) There were only a few places left at the tables, and luckily one of them was the table by the change dispenser.

Pax would be sitting somewhat further down, across the row but still in sight. Seren tried to keep from glancing at him constantly as he sat down, but it was difficult not to.

Pax flopped down into the chair, lounging back against it with a cocky smirk. He immediately prodded the screen, with a fair-sized bet.

"How's the table tonight, guys?" he asked conversationally.

A skinny Chrysalan scoffed, saying something in clicks and chirps before adding, "Shit for me. Maybe you'll fare better, humie."

Seren had decided to take his time, knowing it would be suspicious if he won too much right away, with a well-paying machine or not. He was betting small, manageable amounts, just building his confidence.

And, without cheating, he was still seeing that he wasn't too good at this gambling thing.

It deflated him slightly, but he continued on, knowing that once he started doing as Pax instructed him, it would all be fine. He hated the fact that, despite this, he was still thinking about how to do better legitimately.

Seren ignored anyone around him, only checking to be sure they weren't watching him especially closely, and occasionally glancing over at Pax. To most, he would just seem to be an intensely dedicated gambler.

He decided his next play would be the one where he would begin.

Pax managed the odd small win, a nice surprise for him, given how his luck usually went.

Mostly, he kept a subtle watch on Seren. The younger man was doing well; he could barely even tell if he was continuing with the plan. There was little to no movement from the screen, and Seren simply looked like a hardcore gamer.

Pax joked with the Chrysalan next to him from time to time, until the other male shook his head and left to try his bad luck elsewhere.

At one point, Pax caught Seren's eye and gave him a flirtatious wink, as he had the first time.

The wink from Pax caught Seren off guard, and he flushed pink, exactly as he had the first night they'd met. He frowned back at the older man, returning his attention to his screen.

_Alright, Seren. You can do this. Just like he showed you earlier. There's no problem at all. You'll make a bigger win, and everything will be fine._

Still talking his own way into it, he reached under the table to begin prying off the panel. That went pretty smoothly. Then he felt his way to the wires, finding where they split, and the attachment...

He froze, realizing he was sweating. Why were his hands suddenly shaking so badly? There was nothing wrong. He was fine. There was no reason to stop and try again later.

Then he flipped the attachment over, his shaking hands jerking it in a way that caused his screen to flicker _noticeably_. In fact, he saw the screens near him flickering as well, in the corner of his vision. He gasped, feeling a trickle of sweat running down his forehead.

_What the fuck did I just do?!_

The other players all tensed, eyeing each other.

"The fuck was that?" one spat, "Is this a fucking faulty table?!"

Pax felt his stomach cramp. It couldn't be Seren. People cheated at Cybriss all the time, he told himself. Always. Of course they did...

He shrugged, smirking in amusement, and held his hands up as the amusement bubbled over into low laughter, "Well, one of you is cheating, clearly. And really _badly_, at that!"

Seren, panicked as he was, could still hear everything going on around him. At first, he was just thinking to push his chair back and leave, but his eyes suddenly swiveled toward Pax, who had started speaking aloud.

He supposed it shouldn't matter so much. He should try again later when his nerves had calmed. But hearing Pax say _that_ when all he had wanted was to do well and impress the older man... His short, passionate temper immediately flared, hot as a star.

"_You're the one who taught me how to fucking cheat, you bastard_!" he yelled at Pax, standing up so fast he knocked his chair backward. "So it's _your_ fucking fault!"

In hindsight, this had been a terrible decision, even if he technically couldn't stop himself.

The table, and the surrounding patrons all turned to look at Pax and Seren.

To his credit, Pax remained very calm as the commotion broke out, with the patrons following Seren's lead, some angry, some running to collect security. Cause and Effect had strict rules when it came to cheaters.

Holding Seren's gaze, Pax tilted his head, his expression darkening before he suddenly leaped up and dashed for the door.

"_Run, idiot_!" he hissed as he went.

After his outburst, Seren had found himself still staring at Pax, watching the dark look that crossed the other man's face. He knew he had fucked up this time, in a big way. Possibly in a way that meant he was out of a home again.

Pax ran past him toward the door, telling him to run, and immediately Seren scrambled after, just barely dodging a man who tried to tackle him as he fled. He wasn't aware of a lot else, just _getting_ out, and luckily no one had blocked their exit yet.

Once out on the street, however, Seren didn't know what to do.

"Do we split up?" he gasped, not stopping for now, just following Pax.

"Just _fucking follow me_," the older man hissed, glancing up and down the street before snatching Seren's wrist and dragging him left, down a winding alleyway until there were no other beings around, and he spun on Seren, grabbing his other wrist and glaring at him.

"You fucking asshole, do you _know_ what could have happened back there?!" he hissed, clearly wanting to yell, but being quiet, concerned for the security that may have been active enough to follow, but unlikely.

Startled to find himself pulled, Seren followed along as well as he could, trying not to trip over his own feet. The only reason he was worried about being alone with Pax now was that he was scared to know what the older man would say.

When Pax stopped, Seren tried to move back a little, only to find both of his wrists captured. He pulled weakly, but not enough to be making any noticeable effort. "I... I know. I know!" he babbled, eyes wide and scared. "I wasn't trying to get us caught!" He couldn't think of what to say first. How to explain to Pax that he hadn't really meant for this to happen.

"I have a fucking _record_, kid," Pax snarled, his bright eyes intense. "If I get caught, if the enforcers look into me, I go... I go to fucking _prison_. For, I don't even know, like... Like... Ten years?! I've been keeping my head down since I came here, and you nearly ruined everything!"

He closed his eyes, his jaw set and his heart thudding as he let out a shaking breath through gritted teeth.

"What happened?" he said, his voice low, but smoother and calmer.

"I know... I mean, I guess I didn't know exactly, but... I didn't mean to!" He was scared, but there was something about the taller man's anger that made his heart race as well.

He looked down, unable to face Pax as he explained. "I don't remember all of it. I thought I was doing fine, but then all of a sudden I started sweating and shaking. I pulled on the wires... _fuck_... I was shaking so bad that I basically yanked them off." He paused for a long moment, then mumbled, "I get angry sometimes. You saw it before when I just... exploded at you after you rescued me from Nicks. I don't fucking know, I can't explain it."

Still not looking up, he swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," he tried.

Pax felt strange, holding Seren in place, reducing him to meek explanations, but more than anything, he wanted to make it better.

He realized he was close to Seren's face, and before he could stop himself, he murmured, voice quiet but firm, "You need to control yourself better. You were so confident. No... Cocky."

Seren's nearness to Pax made him feel strange in this situation. He didn't want to be so close, but the older man's tone, combined with the fact that he couldn't escape, was making his heart beat even more wildly. He imagined it was just fear. He hadn't really known Pax that long, he didn't know what could happen.

"I know. I just... I can't. I've never been able to. I thought I had it right! I was doing it right. I can't control it when I get that way. I can't do it." He was rambling, on the verge of whimpering in frustration and anger at _himself_. "I just fucking ruin things. Always."

Pax glared hard at him, unsure of where to go from there.

"Hey. Shh," he sighed, finally. "You don't. It's okay. You made a mistake. Okay, it was a completely bullshit one, and you brought me down with you, but it's still just a mistake. No one got hurt. No one got arrested and thrown in prison. C'mon. It's okay."

His voice was stiff, uncertain. He didn't really know how to help, but knew he didn't want Seren to be so upset, for whatever reason. He just didn't think his words were helping.

"Look, I was fucking angry, still am a bit, but... It's not your fault."

"How is it not my fault?" Seren mumbled. He still couldn't look at Pax, not wanting to face him. "None of this would have happened if I just kept in control. And sure, maybe we got away. But I shouldn't have had to put you through that."

Pax was trying to help him feel better. Seren could see that dimly, at least. "It's not really okay. You have a right to be angry with me. So... you know. You can do whatever you want with me. Kick me out if you have to. What if it happened again?"

"Yeah, you need to get a handle on that fuse of yours, but if I kick you out, you learn nothing, and you're left with nothing. We've been through this, I don't wanna do that to anyone," he said softly, finally letting go of Seren. "Come on, kid. Let's go home. It's risky sticking around here."

Willing to overlook the use of the word "kid" in this particular situation, Seren nodded, rubbing at his wrists after Pax had released them. They didn't really hurt or anything, it just felt odd now with Pax's hands gone.

"Okay," he mumbled, completely dejected. "I'm sorry again." He fell silent as they walked, seeing that the other man was keeping a watch around them, getting lost in his own thoughts instead. He was definitely thinking about his failure, but he was also thinking about Pax being so close to him, and the look in his eyes. For now, it was just a very minor intruding detail, but he didn't know how to explain it.

Even though the remaining tremors of his anger were lingering, Pax put his arm around Seren, almost protectively, and led him back through the streets.

"I need a fucking beer," he mumbled, more to himself than Seren. "But hey. We can try again any other time."

Leaning into Pax, Seren felt comforted that the other man would still do this. "I almost feel like drinking another full can, too. Um... I don't think I really want to soon. In fact, I don't know if it's for me. I can think about it, but..."

They were nearing the shipyard. He sighed in relief, glad he had anything that even felt like "home," a little. "Hey, you mentioned you have some hacker friends. Think I'm kind of more interested in that. See, I'm good with computers. Which doesn't explain why I'm so set on the casino machines." That was too difficult for him to explain, and he wouldn't try. "Maybe you could get me in contact with them sooner rather than later?"

Once again, there was something that felt natural about how Seren nestled into him so easily. Maybe Pax was going soft.

"I do, yeah. Maybe we can speak to them and get you some more insider knowledge," he shrugged, before turning to frown down at Seren, "But trust me, if you speak to them the way you do to me, you won't be learning _shit_. Got that, kitten?"

Seren nodded eagerly before he frowned. "Alright, thanks. But I wouldn't do that! I can be respectful and polite, and I certainly would be to them." It brought up the question of _why_ he talked to Pax the way he did, but he didn't know the answer.

They were back on board the Siren, Pax already getting out his beer, but it turned out the younger man just couldn't settle down the same way. There was too much on his mind, and he stood near the table instead of sitting, tapping away at his padd while he tried to process... any of it.

Pax watched the younger man for a while, before sighing. He stood and put his hands on Seren's shoulders, and maneuvered him to the bed, sitting him gently down.

"What's wrong?" he said firmly. "Tell me what you're thinking, maybe I can help."

Bewildered a moment, Seren sat down and stared at Pax, trying to decide what he should say. Finally, he shook his head, attempting to explain what he could.

"Tonight's made me wonder if maybe I'm in over my head," he said softly, confusion evident in his face and voice. "It's not that I have never doubted myself before, but... you know."

He gestured for the older man to sit next to him and tried to keep himself calm. "Listen, I might as well tell you a little bit about myself because I think I owe you that much. See, I'm not completely alone in the galaxy. If I needed to, I could just contact my foster parents, and they'd probably help me out of the mess I'm in. Maybe. I don't really know?" He sighed heavily. "I didn't leave the colony in a way that looked good. And I wanted to try living my own way, without ever needing them again, because I _don't_ need them."

Seren looked away, studying the floor instead. "Maybe if the hacker thing doesn't work out too well, I'll just go back. I'll find another way to repay you, in that case." He fell silent, unwilling to explain much more. And Pax didn't need to know much more, at least not right now.

Pax plopped down next to Seren to listen to him, leaning back across the width of the bed so that his shoulders were propped at an awkward angle.

"Must've been a bad break, for you to not want any help," he mused, kicking off his shoes. "But, listen, making it on your own is all well and good, but sometimes you need other people, kitten."

He slumped further, propping a foot up on the bed, his knee bent.

"Look, I've been there. Not gambling, but... Something else. It's okay to need help. It's, like... Fucking okay to ask," he said. His tone was awkward, but the sentiment was there. "And hey, there's plenty of ways to work in the galaxy, and I can still show you a lot of them. Cuz, save for that last bit, you're pretty fun to hang out with. Different to my usual crowd, but I like different."

He offered Seren a lazy little smile, "Just let me fucking help, okay?"

"I don't," Seren snapped, uncharacteristically fierce for not being in a temper. "I don't need anyone." Which made no sense to say, since he clearly needed the older man's help.

He frowned, wondering what else Pax and himself might have in common. "And alright, but yeah. You can help. I'll have to see what works, then. Thanks for... y'know. Not giving up on me." With a heavy sigh, he flopped straight back onto the bed without really thinking about it. "Why does life have to be such a fucking bitch," he muttered, mostly to himself.


	13. Part 13: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren's new domestic life together is getting off to a rocky start...

In the months following their first, and last, trip to Cause and Effect, Pax had worked tirelessly to replace and repair elements of the Black Diamond, until he managed to meet with the Zantan buyer, an incredibly, overwhelmingly wealthy female who turned out to have a distaste for humans, but liked Pax enough to push the price of the ship up. She was nothing if not a reasonable being, she informed him, and she knew quality when she saw it. Pax had been sure to pass on her endless compliments of the Diamond to Seren, but he wasn't sure if that had been as appreciated as he had hoped it to be.

The living situation had caused more than a few arguments between them as the months went on, and they grew more comfortable with actually arguing. It never occurred to Pax that it was his ship, and he had every right to kick Seren out. He never even threatened it.

He'd put the younger man in contact with his hacker friend. As was the style of all the criminals Pax had ever encountered, they went by an alias, Xi, but they were curt and intelligent, and reported back to Pax that Seren was improving rapidly, despite Pax informing him that was great, insisting he didn't give a shit about it being _reported_ to him in such a way. He was merely pleased the kid was getting back on his feet.

As the weeks went on, Pax had expected his desire to bed Seren to wane and disappear, as it often did when he didn't get his way immediately, but something about Seren was different...

~

Thanks to Pax, the Black Diamond was sold, and it was sold at a good price, something Seren was grateful for. There would have been no way he could have done it on his own. It was just enough to cover his substantial debt, and he tried to thank Pax multiple times for helping him to clear it at last. The details of the sale, including what the buyer had said, weren't particularly helpful, but he figured the older man was trying. He missed his ship, needing to do his best to put it behind him.

With the debt out of the way, Seren had focused his efforts on learning the hacking skills he needed. Pax's friend, who went by Xi, had proven to be a very effective tutor. In addition, he was often online trying to learn as much as he could about gambling systems, which he had more of an interest in hacking into. It was only a matter of a few months before he was actually _doing_ it, and somewhat well, with enough confidence and information that his meetings with Xi had lessened.

He'd started turning a profit, even. A month's earnings had been enough to buy himself a decent computer, making his new line of work much easier. And Seren really did think this would be his line of work. He loved being clever enough to outwit the systems, and minds, of those trying to keep him out. It was most of the satisfaction he received these days.

Because the rest of his life could use some improvement. Or so he felt. It was mostly Pax. He didn't seem used to having someone else around, and a lot of the time, their disagreements had turned into shouting matches. There was nothing about it that seemed too scary or dangerous in any way. So it hadn't crossed Seren's mind yet that he could find his own place to stay now. But it was when his dissatisfaction was at a peak when he began doing something he really should have better left alone.

*

"_Pax_!" Seren huffed loudly, eyeing his computer in distaste. There was no particular place for him to set it up, so it was crammed into a small area just off the bedroom. "Why the fuck, are your fucking boxers, _on my fucking computer_?" The boxers in question were a disturbing pattern of lime green and salmon pink, draped halfway over the monitor, the other half over the keyboard, as though Pax had literally thrown them there. Which he probably had. Another thing Seren couldn't figure out was why he had such weird taste in underwear. The other man was messy as hell usually, so this wasn't a surprise, it was just annoying and kind of gross.

Pax was just emerging from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel at the waist while using one to scrub his hair dry.

"The fuck are you screaming about _now_?" he shouted back as he made his way over to where Seren had set up his stupid massive computer. "Where the fuck is my laundry thing?!"

"Shut up," Seren grumbled. "I'm not _screaming_. I moved your fucking laundry thing because it was in the way."

He pointed at the boxers, glaring. "Look before you throw shit. Get it off there, I'm not touching it."

Pax swiped them up, but lunged forward and waved them at Seren, without touching him, while laughing like a mad man.

"It's my fucking ship, princess," he huffed, throwing the offending article in the vague direction of the bedroom. "Don't put your computer where my laundry bitch should be."

Seren reeled back, horrified by the ugly boxers coming so close to his face. "Dumbass," he snapped in response to Pax's laughter.

"Whatever. Don't even call me that. And where the fuck else should I put it?! There's no room! Why you have such a fucking small ship when you're apparently 'doing well' is what I don't understand."

He glared harder. "You threw them on the floor, though." Next, he pointed at the hamper, which actually wasn't all that far away from its original location. "Your precious laundry bitch is _right there_."

Pax's expression turned serious, and he jabbed a finger at Seren, which might have been more effective if he hadn't been in a towel, with his luminous hair everywhere.

"_Because_ I love my fucking ship, she's the best. I've never needed to fucking share before! If I were you, I'd be a bit more fucking grateful! "

He glared at the hamper, then back at Seren.

Though Pax looked ridiculous, Seren did take a step back when his face took on that expression. There was just something about it.

"I'm sure she is. But it doesn't mean she's still not _small as fuck_. Okay, _thanks_ for letting me stay in your tiny little ship, I don't deserve it at all, but you're such a _fucking great guy_ that you let me."

This whole situation was actually ridiculous, but he was annoyed. "Just put them in the hamper, okay. It can't kill you to clean up after yourself better every now and then."

Pax marched over to where he had thrown his underwear and, in one motion, spun and threw it back towards the hamper. To his delight, they hit the back of it and plopped in neatly.

"_Are you fucking happy now_?" Pax yelled. Then, with the smug grin Seren had come to know, he stripped off his towel and tossed that towards the hamper. "Oh hey, I'm done with this too!"

And then the bedroom door swished shut to Pax mumbling something.

Seren folded his arms, watching this, then rolled his eyes. But he didn't have time to react before Pax _took his fucking towel off_ and threw it as well.

"What the _shit_, Pax?" he yelled back, pretending to be revolted. In truth, his eyes had immediately moved down to look. Not that he'd never seen it before now.

"_I'm super fucking happy, just stop showing me your stupid dick_!" he yelled through the closed door. "And I'm going _out_ now, so _goodbye_!" In a huff, he grabbed his shoulder bag from the desk near his computer, threw it on, and stormed off the Siren, even if he did make sure the door was completely secure behind him.

"Byyyeee," Pax called, rolling his eyes as he got dressed, dropping his voice to a mumble as he listened to the door being closed. "See you later, sweetie. Miss you already."

The whole thing was a nightmare, and he wanted a _drink_ and a fuck. Or did he want a drink and a _fuck_? Either way, he was making sure he got both that evening.

Seren wasn't through fuming at Pax until he'd gotten halfway to the main casino district, when his steps finally slowed and his angry expression faded. Now he was just tired, and needing _something_ to distract him.

"Fucking jerk," he mumbled, glancing at the neon signs around him, always lit even if it was just past midday. He would have done some work but hadn't been sure if Pax was staying or not. And he definitely wasn't going to ask after _that_.

The Lucky Star was on his right before he knew where his feet were taking him. He'd started coming back on occasion, just to try some legitimate gaming, usually Cybriss. He still didn't seem to have any luck at it. But by now, he was visiting three or four times a week.

He still wasn't thinking about it as he sank into a chair at a table, putting up a small amount of UCs from the dwindling amount he had left. While he was making money, he was spending an awful lot of it here. He didn't know why. It was like he couldn't stop himself, now.

Pax bounded from the Siren with a much brighter mood than that which Seren was likely in. The younger man seemed to really hold onto his frustration, something Pax had never experienced.

He found the biggest, dirtiest club (the Engine Shed didn't appeal for whatever reason) he could, and within the hour the world was hazy after he'd slammed some cheap shots, and he had a pretty, soft little thing grinding up against him, clearly angling for the same night he was. The young man was extremely feminine, more so than Pax usually liked, but he had a fluffy mop of fair hair and a great, pert ass that sparked interest in him.

Enough interest that he dragged him back to the ship without a second thought.

It was evening before Seren left the Lucky Star. He had less UCs than before. Surprising.

He made his way back toward the shipyard, loosely. He hadn't forgotten earlier, but for some reason he disliked it when he saw Pax later, way more unfazed than he was. Dumb bastard had some way of releasing his extra stress, probably. And actually, he wasn't going to think about that.

When he did reach the Siren Song, he took his time entering the passcode. He really didn't want to face this again.

"I'm back," he mumbled, just starting to kick his shoes off onto the airlock floor. They didn't often wear shoes in the inner part of the ship. Then he froze.

_What the fuck kind of noise is.... Oh, shit._

Eren, as it transpired, was a squirmy, noisy little thing, whining and whimpering in an infinitely pleasing way underneath Pax. And he was unexpectedly flexible, his soft body bending easily in any way Pax decided he wanted it.

Between sessions, they drank more.

Sure, he knew the older man had sex all the time. And (way more) than once since Seren had started sharing his living space. But usually he was more discreet. Usually he did it when Seren was gone. Usually...

Yeah, that whining sound was _definitely_ not Pax.

He hastily crammed his shoes back onto his feet, taking his bag, and left the ship so fast he nearly forgot to check the door. Then he stumbled off... where? Maybe the casino again. He could find a dark booth in the corner, pass out with his head on the table. No way he was going back in that ship until morning. No way at all.

It was a long, fun, exhausting night, but while his current partner slept soundly, spread out and naked, Pax stared up at the ceiling, counting the rivets in the metal.

He was thinking about Seren and their argument. And where he _was_. It was... Gone 3am, according to his comm. He could message, but ultimately decided against it, instead just closing his eyes. He'd come back when he was ready. Maybe he also got lucky...

Seren awoke with a start to see a large member of the casino's security team standing at the edge of the table, arms folded. "Alright, you've been here all night, time to get going. Get yourself home and sober," he said in a rasp of a voice.

At least he'd been allowed to stay. They'd probably thought he was too drunk to move. He managed to stagger out of the casino, feeling just plain gross for having spent the night there. He needed a shower and to sleep in a proper bed. Surely Pax had sent... whoever the fuck that was away by now. Why it was bothering him so much, he couldn't say. It was making him feel... upset. But that wasn't right. He didn't know what _was_ right.

His progress toward the ship was slow, but he finally returned a second time just as the simulated morning was dawning. Again he kicked off his shoes, not saying anything this time, but heading straight to the kitchen.

There was someone there. It wasn't Pax.

Eren was humming lightly as he brewed coffee and made pancakes, dressed in his underwear and one of Pax's threadbare sweaters.

"Hey you," he said over his shoulder as Seren entered, thinking it was Pax done with the shower. He turned and blinked, "Oh... You're not Pax. Good morning...?"

Staring, his expression not exactly friendly, Seren tilted his head. Why did this person so strongly resemble _himself_?

"Morning. You're not Pax, either," he said bluntly, his manner not changing. "I happen to live here, so I really don't know anything about why you'd be here."

The boy flinched slightly, frowning.

"Friendly, aren't we?" he scoffed. "You his boyfriend or something?"

"What's it to you?" Seren replied grumpily. "And for the record, no. I wouldn't date a piece of shit like him."

He peered over at the pan. "...So what are you making, there."

"Your loss," Eren chuckled, turning back to his pancakes. "He's fantastic in bed."

He gestured to the coffee pot, "Coffee is brewing, and I'm making chocolate chip pancakes. Want some?"

"Whatfuckingever," Seren muttered sarcastically. Being told that really irritated him, for some reason.

"Nah, no thanks. I'm good." He was absolutely hungry, not having eaten much the night before. But he needed _some_ pride remaining to him.

He retreated to a spot closer to the door, upset enough that he wasn't finished. "The guy he had the night before was better looking than you, though," he said, only just loud enough for the other male to hear.

Eren pretended not to hear as he dished up a high plate of pancakes, instead cheerily calling towards the bathroom.

"Heeey, tiger, come on or these will get cold real quick!"

Pax emerged a moment later, making for the kitchen in his towel once again. From the angle, he didn't see Seren, and he wrapped an arm around the other boy's waist, kissing his neck.

"Mmm... Smells good. You sure you're not staying a bit?" he purred.

"I have to go to work, the coffee is enough," Eren giggled, arching into the kiss before slyly ducking out of his grip and gesturing with the spatula. "I need to get dressed, and your roommate is back..."

Pax turned, his eyes wide.

"Oh... Hey, kitten!"

Seren watched all this with the patience of someone who was very much on the edge of doing something rash.

"Oh, _hey_," he repeated snappily once Pax finally noticed him. "Had a good night, huh?" There was never anything subtle about Seren's anger. He just didn't know how to tone it down.

"You okay?" Pax asked, a hint of genuine concern in his eyes as he made his way over, lowering his voice while Eren made his way around the ship, gathering up his stuff.

"You didn't come home last night," he mumbled. "...You get lucky?"

Seren took a step back, glaring. "I'm fine. And no, I didn't, so don't be stupid. I tried to come back, but when I got here, you were _busy_, so I left. Tell me next time you're planning on doing this to me, okay? It'd be real fucking nice."

His fists were clenched at his sides. He still didn't know _why_ he was so upset by this, but maybe Pax had done it on purpose, to get back at him for moving his hamper. Which was really stupid.

"_What's your fucking problem_?" Pax hissed under his breath.

"I'm... I'm ready, tiger. I'll see you later," Eren said brightly, oblivious to the tension. "It was fun. Comm me!"

He pranced out, after draining half his coffee, leaving the oppressive silence between them.

"Yeah, tiger," Seren mocked louder once the other man was gone. "Comm him! Get him to come over while I'm asleep on the floor, and you can fuck while I'm right in the room!"

He tried to back away again, shaking his head. "I don't have a problem. It's your life, your ship. Y'know... do what you want with both." _Did_ he have a problem, though? Pax might actually be right.

"Look, I'll just... go away again. Sorry. I'll come back later when I settle down," he mumbled, starting for the door.

Pax caught him by the wrist, anger flaring in him.

"Don't walk away from me," he said firmly. "Get back here and speak to me like a fucking adult. What _was_ that?! You're usually gone for hours, I thought I had time. It wasn't my intention to keep him here all night, but when you didn't fucking show, I thought you'd gotten laid too."

Scowling, Seren tried to tug his wrist away, irritated that Pax was again insinuating he was anything less than _adult_.

"It was nothing!" It wasn't nothing. It was something, but he didn't know what that exactly was. "I don't know why you think that. I didn't, okay? I came back here and heard you _enjoying_ yourself, so naturally I wasn't going to fucking stick around! I spent the night trying to sleep somewhere else, thanks. And it wasn't great, so I'm kind of in a shitty mood. That's all."

Hopefully that was enough for Pax. Seren glared at the floor, hating to have to explain himself at all.

Pax paused.

"Fucking hell. Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't hear you. I'm normally more careful," he sighed. "Come and have some breakfast, get a shower. I'll clean up, and you can get some real rest, hm?"

He still hadn't let his wrist go.

Seren wasn't trying to pull away as he shrugged, glancing toward the pancakes Pax's latest "companion" had left behind.

"I guess. But I'm not eating _those_," he scoffed, his expression changing into more of a pout than of anger. "I'll make something for myself. We have some eggs left." He finally looked back up at Pax, wondering why neither of them had moved.

"Fine, these are _mine_ anyway," Pax said, his voice low. He gave Seren's wrist an experimental squeeze before letting go, his heart rate increasing.

"Let me make you some coffee, too," he said softly.

The extra pressure around his wrist made Seren draw in a single breath more sharply, though he hid it well. Why had he liked that...? He hadn't asked for it. "Uh... sure. Yeah, some coffee is fine, thanks."

Quickly he turned away so that Pax couldn't see how it had affected him, moving to the plate of pancakes and pushing them to the side distastefully. "Gross," he muttered. He had nothing against pancakes, but that _person_ had made them. He busied himself with scrambling a few eggs instead, with some added vegetables and seasonings.

Sitting down with his food, he began to eat ravenously, realizing maybe he hadn't eaten at all last night. He'd been too upset to remember. He paused to eye Pax as he was working on the coffee, unable to help himself. "So, you gonna comm him? Seemed, uh... to be a pretty good thing for you."

Pax snorted laughter, "Fuck no. He was cute, fun, but... Eh."

He poured them both some coffee, Seren's first, and a second for himself, since he'd downed his lukewarm cup while waiting for a fresh brew.

"I dunno if you've ever had this but... I get bored. Easily. He's probably sweet as fuck, cooking for me and shit, but I hate things becoming predictable," he mumbled.

"Here. Gimme ten minutes and the bed will be ready for you."

He handed over the coffee and, taking his own with him, meandered back to the bedroom to bin the used condoms, tidy up, and change the sheets for Seren.

"Huh. Guess he might be disappointed, then." Seren pretended disinterest, but he was secretly pretty relieved. What Pax said next did puzzle him, however. He waited until the other man had left to straighten the bedroom and returned, continuing to eat more slowly, before questioning him.

"I guess I don't know what you mean. Define predictable?" he asked, keeping his attention on his plate. "I mean, if you've only been with him once, how do you really know?"

Pax shrugged as he reentered, finally dressed, flopping down at the table.

"I just... I dunno. Most people bore me after a while. In my experience, once you've fucked someone once, it's never as exciting," he mumbled.

Seren pondered this answer. He didn't want to give too much away or let Pax realize his level of inexperience. "Well, it's never as exciting as the first time, I'm sure," he muttered. He assumed that might be true, anyway.

"I get it, I guess. So what about anyone you _don't_ fuck, you get bored of them the same way?" He smirked to himself, but didn't look up to check Pax's expression while waiting for a reply.

"Nah," Pax said cheerily. "I'd like to keep in contact with the boys I take to bed, but not many guys accept that you've got no interest in bedding them again once you've fucked once. I've only ever slept with a handful of guys more than once. It's a shame, really. What's so wrong with just... Fucking, and enjoying it, then being friends? It's how I meet a lot of people."

"Makes sense," Seren mumbled. He knew he wouldn't be so accepting if Pax only wanted to sleep with him once and then drop him. Or at least, he assumed that was how he would feel. 

"Oh. Well... Um, nothing, I guess. Nothing wrong with that. If it's how you want to be. Do what you like, and all that." He was feeling kind of stupid about his rambling now. Pushing his chair back, he picked up his empty plate and coffee cup, taking them over to the sink. "I can do dishes later. Thanks for... y'know, cleaning up for me in there. I need to get a little more sleep. Feeling pretty fucking rough."

He glanced back for a moment. "...Sorry about yesterday. Doesn't mean I won't find something else to yell at you about tomorrow, though."

Pax watched him stand, slumping against his hand.

"Yeah, well, maybe I'll fucking yell back, huh?" he smirked. He looked down at his coffee and took a long gulp. "So where the fuck were you anyways, if not getting laid?"

"Don't doubt you fucking will," Seren huffed with a smile Pax couldn't see, almost to the door. Then he froze, needing to come up with some sort of fake answer.

"Oh. I was just at the arcade. Dunno if you've ever visited it, but you might at least know of it." He turned slightly, trying to sound confident. "Then I spent the night in one of those restaurants that don't give a shit how long you're there, as long as you buy something. I had a drink, and they left me alone." Pax had no reason not to believe any of this, thankfully.

"Oh... Okay," Pax shrugged. "Never been to the arcade. Well, so long as you had fun, cutiepie. Sleep well, and I'll see you later. I'm gonna slip out for a few hours so you can rest properly. I'll secure the airlock for you."

"Yeah, sure," Seren mumbled, knowing his story would be easy enough to believe. Pax didn't suspect there was any reason to lie to him, anyway.

It made him feel a little strange to notice the older man still used words like "cutiepie" for him when they both seemed to get so mad at each other sometimes. Not strange, maybe. Just...

"Thanks. Alright, I'll see you later." He finally headed for the bedroom, feeling the ache in his back from when he _had_ slept in that damn casino booth. Stripping down to his underwear, he flopped on the bed and huddled himself into the blankets gratefully. Trying not to think about what was going on there just hours before. It was fine, Pax had changed the sheets...

It still took him a little time to fall asleep. He was trying to remember if he had any money coming in soon to use on the casino again that night.

Pax made his way out to Zwe's café with his hands in his pockets, taking his time.

When he arrived, he slid into a booth with a needlessly large milkshake, and the Syszik slithered over to sit opposite him.

"You're in a sunny mood," he noted with amusement.

"Meh," Pax shrugged.

"Comprehensive," Zwe laughed. "Wanna talk?"

"I dunno, Zwe. I'd rather do a job," the purple-haired man responded.

He just needed a distraction for a few hours.

Waking up a few hours later with the alarm on his comm, Seren sat up sleepily. He could sleep more, but the day was wasting away, and he wanted to get some work in before... tonight.

He went to brush his teeth and have a shower before plopping down at his computer, knowing just what systems he needed to work on.


	14. Part 14: [Siren Song, Lucky Star Casino]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren has a little problem with an old habit.

About a week had passed since that day. Pax and Seren still had their shouting matches, but less frequently as the younger man was spending more and more of his time out. Now he was leaving nightly, not even imagining Pax would notice or care. He was bringing in money, but spending it too fast.

Until somehow he was broke again.

He could have just worked more. But he was at the point where he couldn't go without the distraction that the gambling was bringing him. He couldn't even focus on _work_ completely. So, on a rare afternoon when he and Pax were both on the ship at the same time, Seren decided he was just desperate enough.

The taller man was doing something in the kitchen, and Seren walked up to the door, trying to be casual. "Hey... Pax, can I ask for a favor?"

Pax paused in his mid-ramen-making snack, turning towards the door and beamed, wiping his mouth.

"Hmmm? Hey. Sure. What do you need?" he said brightly, beaming. He'd already had a beer, the empty can knocked to one side, and he was in a good mood.

The ramen. Seren had to smile a little bit, blaming it on his nerves.

"Well. This is kind of awkward, considering." He shifted from one foot to another, trying to figure out how to approach it. "But I kind of need to ask for a loan. I hate to, but see... I need some extra for a special project. There's a card system I'm working on breaking down, and it's a little bigger than usual. I _would_ have enough, just that one of my jobs hasn't paid out yet, even though it should have. So... yeah." He hoped that was enough information to be believable, but not too much to seem suspicious.

Pax waved a hand, pulling his folded wallet from his pocket.

"Sure thing, kitten. How much you need? Tell you what, how much should this job have paid, and I'll give you a full loan for the amount, hm?" he asked, cracking open another beer to have with his finished ramen.

That was surprisingly easy...

"Oh! Uh, that's nice of you." He could ask for more. He shouldn't, but... "About 300 UCs. It's a lot, so I understand if you'd rather not. I could get by with half of that." It was difficult to not start fidgeting. He thought he could have it paid back by next week. He _was_ getting better. He really was.

"I got a job paying pretty well just recently, so I'm good," he said, idly spooning some ramen into his mouth, as though he absolutely couldn't wait to eat before opening his wallet and handing Seren three bankers credit chits. "When you get paid, I want it back, though. With interest. The interest is a six-pack."

He grinned around his mouthful of food.

"Of course, I'll get it back to you soon. Early next week by the absolute latest." He paused to roll his eyes. "Fine, a six-pack then." Reaching for the credits and still trying to seem casual about it, he let out a silent breath of relief. "Thanks so much. This'll save me."

Seren looked around, trying to think what else to say. He felt bad about doing this, but he _needed_ to. "Oh, right. I have some more work to do, but I'm going out again tonight just so you know. I won't be back until maybe after midnight... sometime. So if you had anything you planned on..." Trailing off, he took a few steps back, hoping that would be all it took.

Pax frowned, eyeing Seren as though he was only just seeing him for the first time. He was nervous about something, eager to leave, and also seemed to be radiating relief.

"Sure. Fuck off, then," he chuckled, not unkindly, waving him away as he turned back to his ramen. "Have fun, cutiepie. I'll probably be up when you get back."

He frowned to himself as he waited for Seren to leave. Something was wrong, he could feel. He recognized the look in the young man's eyes from many years ago, in his own. It was a sense of desperation, and he needed to know why.

Seren gave him a weak smile before finally turning to leave. He was so incredibly relieved that he felt his legs were shaky.

In only a few more hours, he was done with the work he thought he could manage to do. It had really gotten bad enough that his focus was deteriorating. Then he packed his bag with whatever he needed to take along, but most importantly, the money Pax had given him.

He hadn't even been sure whether the older man was around when he left, walking himself slowly through the streets without much energy. Maybe he would go to one of the smaller casinos tonight, really take his time trying to do well. Of course he could do it.

The man that left the Siren a while after Seren was fair-haired and sickly pale, dark skin under hooded eyes. He followed Seren's path through word of mouth, and checked the nearest casinos, and sure enough, he found his target within the hour.

Pax congratulated himself on being such a bloodhound.

His disguise, as expected, didn't raise any sort of suspicion as he moved to a game table away from Seren.

Only an hour had passed since he reached the casino, but Seren could already tell tonight wasn't his night, either. There didn't _ever_ seem to be a night that was "his night."

He was betting small at the Cybriss table, trying to time his numbers right. It should be simple, but for whatever reason, there was a tense feeling that gripped him during every play. It didn't matter if he had any alcohol in him, that feeling never settled. He'd thought he was gambling to deal with stress. So why was he still so stressed out? Was it because he couldn't win? So it was just some kind of fucking stupid cycle of stress?

After another half hour, he decided to take a break, get up and stretch his legs. His face looked weary as he wiped his forehead, finding sweat there. Deciding to head to the bathroom and wash his face, he walked in that direction, passing a pale man seated at a different table with no more than an offhanded glance.

Cybriss. Pax watched Seren play for a far longer time than anyone usually wanted to play, especially with such small bets not coming to anything. It was almost like cheerily throwing small change into a rushing river.

When Seren finally passed him, Pax eyed him. He looked tense, tired, _wired_. Fuck. Pax knew the look terribly; he'd seen it in others, he'd seen it in the mirror. Slowly, it came to him. The night they first met, the overwhelming debt he had found himself in before Pax had helped him claw it back. 

_Damned_ if Seren was getting back into debt now that it was sorted out. Pax conceded that perhaps he had the wrong impression, and Seren was simply worrying about the job he was waiting on being paid for, rather than spiraling back down. At the moment, however, he had no reason to worry, he reasoned.

Except he was worrying, and he was concerned for the younger man's safety, not to mention his mental health.

He slid gracefully from his seat and strode after Seren, following him to the bathroom, where he could see Seren at the far end. Next to Pax, there was a heavy cigarette machine (disgusting, why in the galaxy was the fucking thing in the bathroom, of all places), which he dragged across the tiled floor as a means of barring the door, the metal of it screeching against the tile.

Seren had gone to the far end of the bathroom, glad to find it empty but hoping no one would come in. He'd gone ahead and used the toilet while he was there, washed at a sink, and now was splashing the cold water onto his face with hands that shook slightly.

It was all going to be fine, it really was. His luck would turn, and he could calm down, and-

Someone else had come in. Seren could hear it, but didn't look up as he began to hurriedly dry his face with a towel. What he heard after that did make him look up.

The strange-looking pale man he'd only barely noticed at the table outside was pulling the cigarette machine across the floor, the screech of it making Seren wince. The stranger was blocking the door. But why?

He backed against the far wall, ready to fight if he had to, even if he didn't have a weapon. Did he just _look_ like some kind of easy target? "The fuck do you want?" he demanded as the stranger turned, trying to sound more in control than he currently felt.

"Hostile, aren't we?" the man said quietly, his stance relaxed, his slender hands spread. He looked back over his shoulder at the barred door and chuckled.

"Oh. That. I want to talk without the possibility of you running away," he said, running a hand through his hair. "You seem... Jumpy. Someone approaching their last nerve. Why might that be?"

"You'd be hostile too if someone you don't know had just blocked the way out of a room," Seren snapped, keeping against the wall. He was too rattled to really think about the sound of the stranger's voice.

"Oh yeah? How long have you been watching me? And what the fuck does it matter to you?" He edged a hand toward his trouser pocket, where his comm was currently. "I can call for help, you know. You can't keep me in here."

How had he managed to get into a mess like this?

"Who will you call, kid?" the man said, smirking. "You think enforcement bothers with casino fights? You think they give a shit? I've seen cheaters beaten bloody in here."

He perched against one of the sinks.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, mate," he said amicably.

"Don't call me kid," he snapped again immediately, the word sparking a recent memory but not enough to get through to him just then.

If he couldn't call enforcement and rely on them...

"I don't believe you," he said, thinking quickly. "So I'm going to call someone." He took his comm out, surprised the pale man hadn't moved to stop him.

Pax would probably help him... right?

"Go ahead and call whoever," the pale man shrugged, grinning. Enforcement would kick them both out, but, wearing a different face, Pax didn't care. He folded his arms and waited, "I mean, it'd be so much easier if you just answer my questions, but whatever."

"_What questions_?" Seren demanded angrily, his hand hovering over the frequencies. "I don't know you! What do I have to do with you?!"

"Calm down," the man sighed. "I just want to know what's wound you up so. You look like a junkie without a fix, darlin'."

"There was no reason to barricade us in here just to ask me that!"

Seren had had enough; he selected Pax's frequency and waited.

Then he froze in place.

The pale man's jacket started playing with an obnoxious dance beat, and he bit back laughter.

Seren _knew_ that stupid music. What were the chances that... no.

"Pax," he whispered, face draining almost as pale as the other man's disguise. His voice grew louder as he began to ramble. "Wait, you... why would you... Did you _follow_ me? Why? Why not just talk to me in the ship, what's the need for... this!" He pointed at the machine blocking the door.

He hadn't been paying enough attention; that voice should have been recognizable. He'd wanted to get back to his "gambling." But now, Pax might know... unless he could somehow be clever enough to lie about it.

Pax sighed and let the mesh unfold to reveal his true appearance.

"I knew you'd run away if I asked you directly. So, you been taking my money to gamble more, Seren?" he said, quirking an eyebrow.

Seeing Pax's real self, and being addressed as 'Seren' (which was still oddly rare) made him feel more nervous. He didn't move from his position against the wall, but his gaze dropped to the floor and then away from the other man.

"No," he said, too fast. "Not _your_ money. I saved that for the job. I'm using... you know, my money. I work and all. This is the first time I've been here." At least that was true. Pax would have no idea how often he'd really been doing this.

"You're a bit twitchy, kitten," Pax said slyly. "And you're... Not using my money, but you _needed_ a loan. Interesting, interesting..."

"Well, I needed it for the job. Otherwise I just didn't have enough. I had enough otherwise to, uh.... to come here."

Seren didn't acknowledge anything about being "twitchy." He glanced up at the door. "Can you let me out of here now? I can't move that myself, I don't think. And you're kind of holding anyone up who wants in here."

"I don't give a fuck," Pax said. "If you're fucking lying to me, Seren, I swear..."

He engaged his augments and hefted the machine out of the way before putting the disguise back into place.

"I'm not!" Seren replied as fast as he could, though Pax was moving the machine already without seeming to need any more than that.

"Thanks," he muttered, glancing at the pale man again, rather than Pax. "Maybe you could let me mind my own business now? See you later tonight." He made to brush past him, glad it was all seeming so simple.

He snatched Seren's wrist, and it was Pax peering back again, "Seren. Are you in fucking trouble again? After the work we did to help you?"

His gaze was hard but not unkind.

Seren pulled his arm back, but not enough to free himself. Every time Pax did this, it made him feel funny.

So did that expression.

"No. Pax, I'm... I'm fine. I'm really fucking _great_, okay? I'm not in any trouble! I'm in control of everything, I swear." He wasn't in control of anything, actually. Least of all himself. But that wouldn't matter to someone like the older man. "It's all fine. It's great."

There was no way he could make eye contact, saying stuff like this. Pax just had to believe him.

Pax sighed and cupped Seren's jaw to lift his head.

"I'm gonna let it go, and we're going to walk out of here one at a time. I'm gonna leave, and I trust you to do the same," he instructed. "Okay? Two minutes, and then leave."

He felt an unexpected but not unwanted twinge in his lower belly from... Something, but put it down to frustration and maybe even anger.

Eventually, he let go of Seren and slipped out.

Seren couldn't hide the slightest intake of breath as Pax lifted his head, looking right back into his bright blue eyes.

"Okay," he said softly. He wanted to listen to the older man, let him make the decision. Just this time, he told himself. "I'll do it."

Just as he thought Pax was going to keep on holding him, Seren was released, and he was gone. Slowly he walked back over to the sink he had used before, staring at his own reflection in the mirror as he waited for some time to pass. He felt lightheaded somehow. Not dizzy, but... it was hard to describe.

When he finally did exit the bathroom, he glanced around to casually look for Pax. If the other man had left the casino entirely, maybe he would do the same.

Pax was nowhere in sight, the pale man already out into the evening lights and commotion of the station.

He knew he wanted to rail the guy, but the flutter he experienced when he had _ordered_ Seren to do something was... Heady. The thought of him actually obeying? Intoxicating. It made him want to order the younger man onto his knees, to...

Pax quickened his pace, his skin feeling hot and tight, in stark contrast to the frustration and concern he had been feeling.

Seren couldn't see Pax anywhere. So he must have left. Truth be told, the casino no longer appealed to him. He just wanted to think about the older man's hand around his wrist, the other hand cupping his chin, the softly accented voice telling him what to do...

Which was really weird, he was sure. Really, totally, completely damn weird.

He would forget the gambling now, or try. But he was really tempted to try to get Pax to do any of those things to him again. For now, he just headed back to the ship.


	15. Part 15: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren comes across a very drunk Pax, and backstories are spilled.

Another week or two had passed, and Seren was doing better. He only went to casinos once or twice a week now, and he'd even managed to pay back Pax's loan (with the interest, of course.) He was being more careful with his money, but was still looking to get attention the way he wanted.

One day he'd spent his early evening at the arcade instead after a long day of work, coming home a little later than normal, but not so late that he thought Pax would have company. He slipped inside the Siren cautiously regardless, seeking out where the older man might be.

The success of the job he'd completed was completely over Pax that evening. He'd set up the burglary, gathered the intel, ensured the staff would not be harmed, and it had gone perfectly. There was no connection to him, the owner of the offices had _deserved_ it too.

He was practically that Robbing Hood guy, he thought as he guzzled his fifth beer of the evening. He'd gotten himself a big case of expensive lager (the _big_ cans) to celebrate, he'd had a large order of Zantan food, and was listening to some new group he'd never heard of before.

Then the airlock thumped.

Pax was sprawled out on the bed, barefoot and shirtless when Seren entered, and he looked up, beaming. His grin was too wide, cheeks too pink, his eyes too unfocused, but he waved goofily.

"Hey, kiddo, how's things?"

Seren lifted an eyebrow once he found Pax. He was obviously pretty wasted. Regardless, he still found himself staring at his bare chest and arm tattoos, feeling warm.

"Hey," he greeted back, ignoring the way he'd been addressed. The older man was even less likely to heed him now, in this condition. "Things are okay. You look like you've had a good night, though." He eyed the multiple large beer cans littering the bedside table and floor. "Celebrating a special occasion? How many of these have you put away already?" he smirked.

Pax blearily held up his can, shaking it to gauge the amount left.

"Four. And a half," he grinned. Damn, his face was hot, though. "I got _paid_!"

As he raised his arms to cheer, he flopped to one side, having moved the arm that was propping him up, and sending a small, almost fruity-smelling splash of beer down his arm, which he very ungracefully licked.

"Want one? It's got kind of a... Purple flavor."

"Wow," Seren grinned. "Must have been a big job, then."

He was comfortable enough around Pax by now that he laughed openly when the older man tipped to the side. "Be careful. Maybe it's good I'm here, might need someone to make sure you don't hurt yourself." He sat down on the edge of the bed furthest from Pax, watching him a moment. "Uh... purple? Sure. I won't drink it all, but it sounds nice."

Seren reached for a can, cracking it open and taking a sip. "Yeah. This is the most fucking purple beer I've ever had," he said, deciding it would be funny to agree with Pax on this point.

"You seem to really enjoy beer, now that I think of it. When did you first try it? Did you like it right away?" It was a casual question, but Seren had been thinking over exactly how little detail Pax had given on his past. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to ask, but the other man tended to brush off certain questions. Seren was not above using the other man's drunk status to dig for info. He really had been wanting to know more lately.

Pax rolled enough to grab a can from a box at the foot of the bed and toss a can behind him to Seren without warning, grinning when he caught it with lightning reflexes.

"Yeah, I like a bit of everything, but most liquor makes me feel like shit in the morning, and _fuck_ drinking wine unless you're having a fancy dinner. Cider just makes me horny," he explained. "Uh... Yeah, I was drinking from maybe 14 years old. Secret stashes of fucking gross, lukewarm, 2UC piss. But I thought I was so cool."

"Heh, I see," Seren chuckled. "You already know how it is for me. I can't drink much of anything. Even little amounts make me so... damn lightheaded." He frowned. That wasn't a very good description.

"I couldn't have gotten alcohol at 14. There'd be no way. But colonies are just strict like that." He eyed Pax, taking another tiny sip. "So, how did you get yours?"

"Older kids," Pax shrugged. "It's apparently super fucking funny to make the underage ones drink, and see how they fare. I thought it was a rite of passage or something. Dumbass."

He chugged the can in his hand before setting it down empty.

"So. Colony legal drinking age is, what... 21?"

"Hmm." Seren frowned. Of course, that didn't sound very funny to him. "That sucks. So the older kids tended to be mean, then?" He was curious about the orphanage but more curious about how Pax had eventually left it.

"Oh... yeah, it is. I kind of left there right after I turned 21, though. Didn't find out about my intolerance until later." He shrugged, still unsure if he should talk to Pax about any of that yet.

"Yeah, but you can't blame them. If I'd have stayed, or been through some of the shit they had, I'd be the same. Some of them... Well. I'm sure you can guess," Pax shrugged.

"I guess not," Seren replied uncomfortably, not liking to think about it. He knew he was really fortunate to not have needed to be placed in an orphanage, and he knew it was all in the past for the other man, but somehow he still felt bad.

"But you said 'if you stayed'... How did you leave? I think they release you at a certain age? Does that mean you left early or something?" He was leaning forward, trying not to _look_ too interested, hoping Pax would tell him more about it.

Pax grabbed a new can, shrugging.

"Uh. I left early. Fifteen," he mumbled. "I hated it, I hated school, so I just left to get a job," he said, popping the tab and sipping more restrained than before. "That didn't really pan out. I got into some trouble. Drugs and shit. But I don't wanna bring you down, what did you do today?"

"That's understandable if you didn't like school," Seren mused, simply turning his own barely-emptied can around in his hands. "I wouldn't blame you. But, you said..."

He was very disappointed that Pax wasn't going to elaborate. "No, listen," he said quickly, getting up and moving closer. "You can tell me. It won't bring me down. Hey, if you tell me about your life, then I'll tell you all about mine. What a dumb idea, right? But we could totally do that. I mean, no big deal if we're going our separate ways in a half year or so?"

When he put it that way, maybe they really could talk and not worry about it. But something about that idea made him feel just a little upset.

"Oh... Yeah... guess so," Pax mumbled, frowning down at his beer.

"So... I tried to enroll in the space force, but they saw through my fake ID so fucking fast," he groaned. "Then I thought, hey, fuck you, I'll just go and get a job. So I worked in a bar on Prima Beta under a fake name, and they rented me a room. But the bar was... Nasty. A real bad place, bad hours, bad pay. Worse pay when they realized they had free labor in an orphan runaway. Who was I gonna tell? So I was tending bar for like... My nineteenth hour straight? I was so tired that when someone offered me something to keep me awake, I just took it. I didn't want to lose my job and be homeless."

Seren was listening carefully, leaning as close as he dared to Pax, who he was really hoping wouldn't regret this decision when sober.

"I see. That sounds... fucking awful. I mean, I know that doesn't help for me to say it, but yeah. Anyone who would take advantage of a kid like that is just..." He spread his free hand, not even sure of the words to use.

"I get it," he said, his voice low. "So that started you on the drugs, then? Don't worry, I'm not judging you at all. I've got no reason to."

"Doesn't fucking matter if you were," Pax said defensively. "You asked."

He took a long moment to drink a good portion of his beer.

"Yeah. Within the year I was homeless, because of course I was. The drugs got worse. This here-" He rubbed the blackened bands of tattoo around his elbows, "These were some of my first tattoos, to cover the needle marks when I got clean. And before you mention it, yeah, I know it's dumb to still take the odd pill at a club, but in the intervening fourteen odd years, highs have gotten less dangerous. And I know my limitations."

Seren shrugged, just sitting back and listening.

Studying the tattoos Pax indicated, he gave a nod. "Yeah. And I guess I would have thought of that, the night we were at the club. I'm glad you know what you're doing now."

So Pax had been homeless, just like he had almost been... just very different circumstances. "But you did get clean," he said softly, thinking to himself. "On your own, or with help?" He connected other pieces he had been told before on his own. "It was the gang you learned from, right?"

Pax smiled, "Yep. This half-Neptu guy found me begging, and he recognized me being a junkie, saw that I was pretty young... He pretends he's an asshole, but he's actually a sweetheart. Oh, but I didn't go willingly, he had to promise me drugs. Funny, really."

"That's great," Seren smiled back, glad to see the look on Pax's face. "I mean, that he was a nice enough guy to help you. Of course, it would be hard for anyone in your position to go otherwise."

He settled back a little, daring to take another sip. It was nice to think of Pax having made his way out of such a tough situation. "So they took you in, you got clean, they taught you, like you already told me before... But what happened then? Why aren't you still with them?"

"Ah, I was with them for a long time, three or four years, but... Hm. One of them sold out the others, got them sent to prison, and blamed me. I either had to leave or be turned over to the enforcers. Two of them still talk to me, though. They believed me."

Pax smiled to himself, thinking of Cyb and Lorna.

"So I got my cash, got a ship, and went about my way. A real adventurer," he laughed.

"Oh... wow." Seren was surprised, but not _too_ surprised. He'd heard of that sort of thing happening among criminal groups before. "I'm glad you had the chance to leave. And some friends on your side," he added wistfully.

"Thanks for telling me all that. I just think it's interesting, learning about people. And we're only sharing our lives together for a while, so why not?"

That said, he hid behind his can of beer for a moment, taking a bigger drink. Did he still have to tell Pax about himself? That seemed awfully embarrassing at the moment.

"Don't think you can get out of telling me some shit now," he smirked. "I wanna know about your colony. I heard the colonies were a fucking eutopia each or something. That sound about right?"

"Yeah, about right," Seren sighed, giving in. "Everything is really well organized. No crime, very little illness... the works. Sounds boring, right?"

He paused, frowning. "Before I tell you any more... Can I ask about your parents? Do you know anything about them?" He actually looked a bit sad then, fiddling with the beer can again.

"My mum, she was young when she had me. Good girl, she was mature enough to know she couldn't look after me, so she gave me up. Dunno her name, but I know my dad wasn't involved. Probably a deadbeat. Why?" Pax asked, cheerily enough.

"Ah... so you didn't know them," Seren sighed. "I only asked so I could compare situations. I kind of knew mine. I have a few memories, but not enough to really feel a lot. I was about three, they died in a shuttle malfunction. They... Well, there's no other way to put this. They were the founders of the colony. Meaning my name is connected to it."

He muttered, half to himself, "I don't like that very much."

Pax's eyes widened, though they were unfocused; he had heard, he understood, but alcohol dulled his reaction.

"But you could be... Like... A fucking colony president or something?!"

"That's not how it works!" Seren said quickly, realizing how drunk Pax was before he sighed in amusement. "See, it's just a name. My foster parents were friends of my birth parents, and they took over for the colony as well as adopting me. I'm not associated with the colony at all now beyond my name. Which is why I don't really want it anymore."

He sighed heavily. "My foster parents were so busy that they barely looked after me. I just didn't have anyone who was... y'know, really there for me. I was smart and liked school, sure, but couldn't connect to others. So I knew one day I was going to leave."

"That sucks, kitten. Really," Pax mumbled, putting a warm hand on Seren's knee and smiling sympathetically. "Sometimes parents don't know how to deal with smart kids, so they get left a bit..."

"I didn't want for anything," Seren muttered. "But I guess you're right." He appreciated the gesture but didn't show it outwardly. "So I had a huge inheritance, just couldn't get it until I turned 21. I bought a ship with it, plenty left over. And kind of left without telling anyone who might even potentially care. That's why the idea of going back is... very awkward."

He looked away, frowning. "Spent six years wandering the galaxy. But still didn't really get anywhere. I ended up with a gambling addiction, in debt so deep I'd never get out without selling my ship, just a complete downward spiral. Until I met someone who helped me. Which... thanks," he muttered in conclusion.

Pax tilted his head, eyeing Seren with a soft, gentle gaze.

"No problem, kid," he said warmly. "Maybe you'll do the same for someone else in the future. Keep up that cycle of good karma, or whatever. But look... I know you wanna get going at some point, but when you do, don't delete my comm frequency, okay?"

"I'd like to think so. It'd be nice if someone needed me," Seren replied quietly.

"Oh... yeah, sure. If I ever came back around, or if you're near me again, it would be cool to see you," he mumbled, finally meeting Pax's eyes.

He exhaled loudly, setting his beer aside before flopping back on the bed "'Kay. Enough heavy talk. We're celebrating this great job you finished. So we should relax."

It didn't take long for Seren to have an idea. "Hey, I know you like music." He just wasn't sure if Pax liked _good_ music, based on what he had heard. Wriggling to get his comm out of his pocket, he held it up with a grin. "Can I play my favorite for you?"

Pax had slumped forward just slightly, his drunken haze having decided that it would be a good idea to kiss Seren.

Until the younger man moved to get his comm, and Pax came back to himself. What a fucking moron, Seren barely tolerated him.

_He does not want to fuck you. Get over it._

He grinned, "Sure, go for it! What sort of thing is it...?"

Oblivious, Seren grinned back as he scrolled through what he'd managed to put onto the comm so far. He didn't have _everything_ he wanted, but sometimes the files were trickier to find.

"Nothing major, just my _favorite_ music from ancient Earth," he said proudly, selecting a song and hitting play.

Instantly the room was filled with the sound of heavy guitar and drums, the singer's voice screeching out over the top... Seren had often wondered how much they'd had to change their voices to achieve some of the sounds they made. But he loved it. He even closed his eyes in appreciation, expecting Pax to be just as awed as he had been when first hearing it.

Pax's grin fell within a few seconds of the music. The rhythm was good, and he liked the drumming, but... What was that noise?

If he'd been sober, he might have even tried to be more polite, but given his state, he just moaned loudly, "This is fucking awful, what the fuuuck..."

Seren's eyes snapped open and he bristled immediately. "Excuse me, but fuck you. This is good music! I listened to it all the time when I was growing up. It's classic, from the 1980s on Earth, back when they used that archaic numbering system."

He let the music continue playing, glaring at Pax. "And this band is really important to me so shut up. It's better than anything I've ever heard you play!" It didn't matter if Pax was drunk; no one was going to talk bad about his precious music.

"Whoa, alright, princess," Pax snorted, laughing. "Just different tastes. I just... This is a horrible voice. You really like this?"

"Yes, I do," Seren grumbled irritably, ignoring what Pax had called him again. "It's not a horrible voice, and it's not fucking awful. It's _good music_, okay. 'Different tastes,' right?" He stared at the other man as though challenging him. He'd been so excited to play it for someone, too.

Pax was just smiling, an unfocused, goofy smile.

"Maybe it'll grow on me. Play me another of your Earth songs. Promise I'll be nicer," he chuckled.

Seren lifted an eyebrow. He knew Pax was drunk, but at the same time... There was something he liked about that silly smile, even while annoyed over his music being called awful.

"Okay." Seren's "Earth songs" were incredibly important to him. He took his time to select the next one, making sure it sounded very little like the first. This one had even more guitars, and a singer much easier to understand, with a clearer voice. He kept his eyes down, fiddling with the comm as he waited for Pax's judgment.

This time, deciding that teasing Seren was only fun when he got flustered rather than angry, Pax closed his eyes and flopped down against the bed, listening more carefully.

This one was still not his first choice, but he did start tapping his fingers against his beer can with the beat.

"This one's better," he offered. "Maybe I just don't have the ear for that other voice."

"You're not cultured enough," Seren replied, not angry now but seeming to accept what Pax said. "I understand. But hey, thanks for at least listening? I'll have to annoy you with all my favorites sometime."

He turned the music off, placing the comm back in his pocket. It was hard to say how he was feeling about Pax at the moment, after their talk. Should he feel... different? He thought maybe he understood the older man a little better, that they might even be closer than before. But he still couldn't imagine their arguments decreasing, which he felt somehow relieved by.

"So how're you doing? Are you eventually gonna pass out from all this?" Seren looked around at all the beer cans, smirking. He did hope Pax would be alright, but he was willing to take care of him in the morning if he needed to.

At some point during the listening, Pax had drooped and was slumped over, his lips parted slightly, snoring very softly, but somehow the beer in his hand remained upright, as though even in drunken sleep he was making sure none went to waste.

He'd just felt especially comfortable, warm and relaxed despite music he definitely wouldn't listen to unless he was forced, but somehow it was nice. He would never have guessed Seren liked that stuff...

He grunted softly, mumbling something incoherent and smiling sleepily.

When Seren finally looked properly, he saw that Pax was pretty much asleep. He snorted to himself, getting up and approaching the older man with a sigh. "I guess that answers my question."

He took the partially empty can Pax was holding so it wouldn't spill on the bed (wondering how he was keeping such a good grip that he actually had to pry it away) and set it on the table. Then he pulled a blanket up over Pax, tucking it around him as best he could. "There. Good thing you're already on the bed. I don't think I could pick you up."

For a little while, he studied the older man. It was rare to see him unguarded and relaxed, and Seren had a moment where he felt... different, somehow. Which wasn't helpful, as he couldn't explain it at all. He told himself to stop, instead gathering his share of the blankets to sleep on the floor, with a vague plan in mind to set an alarm on his comm and get up before Pax might possibly awaken in order to make him some breakfast (hangover "cure" if he needed it) and just get some work done.

Still, it took an awfully long time to fall asleep. He was still thinking over everything Pax had told him, and what he had shared in return.


	16. Part 16: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren pays Pax back by caring for _his_ hangover this time. Then the boys head to the gym together, where the situation gets a little heated.

The next morning, Pax awoke to quiet sounds of someone else moving about the ship, but that sounded to him like a host of ship engines all starting the hyperjump. At once. In his fucking _head_.

He moaned loudly, pulling the blankets up over his face.

"Srn? Sern? Sren? Seeereeeen," he groaned, his throat croaky and his voice weak. Plus, his mouth tasted like grapes had puked in it. "You home?"

Seren had been awake long enough to do a little work, make himself some breakfast, and get started on Pax's strange hangover "cure" when he heard the other man calling him. Or at least, seeming like he was trying to. He hurried to the bedroom doorway to check.

"Hey," he said to the shape under the blankets, seeing Pax had pulled them over his head. "You alright? I mean, you're probably not. Need anything?"

There was a shift in the pile of blankets, and a mess of purple hair, then bleary blue eyes peeked out. Pax looked awful, but his gaze was warm enough, being the only bit of his expression visible.

"Coffee?" he whispered. "Y'have a good day yesterday?"

Seren eyed Pax, trying not to smile _too_ much. The older man looked terrible, but strangely friendly as well.

"It was pretty good," he agreed with a casual shrug. "I can get you a cup, I just made some. If you could sit up anyway...?" He hurried back to the kitchen, unsure if he could leave Pax alone very long.

"But I don't wanna," came the grumbling reply from the heaped blankets. "I like vertical. Wait, no, horizontal. Ugh, words are hard."

When Seren returned, however, Pax had actually sat up and was sleepily scratching his chest as he yawned.

"Well, you have to be vertical to drink coffee, sadly," Seren chuckled. He'd come back with the mug Pax seemed to use most, large and bright purple, and cautiously handed it to him.

"So... you're gonna be fine?" he asked, peering closer. If it were himself, he'd already be puking his guts out. Or more likely in a coma.

"Mm. Maybe. Why, wanna kiss my head better?" he smirked, though it was as though he was still drunk, his eyes unfocused. "Thanks, babe. I needed this."

"No thanks," Seren replied quickly, rolling his eyes. Why was he blushing the moment Pax called him "babe?" It felt ridiculous. "You still look pretty bad. Maybe you should sleep more or something."

He shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "I was, uh... cooking, though."

"Nah, I can nap later if the world gets to be too much," Pax laughed, guzzling his coffee a moment.

He quirked an eyebrow at Seren's sudden shyness (which is how he read it) but smiled. "Oh yeah? What's for breakfast?"

"Er.. well.." Still feeling incredibly awkward, Seren rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "I guess I was working on omelets. But also, I... kinda started that gross 'toast' shit for you. Just in case."

He didn't know where to look at the moment, apparently. "But maybe you don't need it?"

"Whoa," Pax said, smiling, "Can I have both? I don't wanna waste anything if you started my toast, but an omelet sounds, um, so fucking good?"

Admittedly, his head was _thumping_, but aside from dark, slightly bloodshot eyes, it didn't register on his face.

"Uh, sure!" Seren relaxed, brightening instantly. Pax seemed so eager to eat something he'd made. He wasn't sure why that made him happy, either. "Yeah, I managed to figure it out pretty well from your description, and then what I noticed when eating it last time..."

He gestured toward the kitchen. "But anyway, come over when you're ready? So I won't put anything in your omelet that you might hate," he smirked, already heading out of the room.

Pax leaped up immediately, but visibly swayed on his feet for a brief moment, the room spinning unpleasantly, and he felt a wave of nausea. He closed his eyes and made a deep guttural noise of discomfort, but then straightened.

"Phew. Cool. Yeah. I'm good... Hey, is there more coffee?"

Seren watched in alarm, but smiled as Pax seemed to get his footing. "You're good at this. Sure, there's plenty. I'll get your mug, just go sit down at the table and I'll get everything for you. You've still gotta feel pretty bad."

Remembering how Pax had helped him when he was drunk, Seren was very determined to be as helpful as possible. He grabbed the purple mug and went ahead of Pax to the kitchen, filling it and setting it on the table, then turning back to the stove. "I'll have this disgusting toast shit done sooner, you can start on that."

The purple-haired man laughed loudly at that, shaking his head, "It's not _gross_, it works. It works for _me_, and nothing else ever fucking has. What's _your_ hangover cure?"

"Don't have one," Seren muttered. "Never needed one."

He finished the toast and placed it in front of Pax. "Here you go. I hope I did it right."

He turned back around, keeping himself busy. "I'll work on the omelets. What do you like?"

Pax immediately shoveled some of the toast into his mouth and paused.

"...This is fucking amazing?" he said. "What the fuck did you do differently...! Oh, um... Just cheese? Can you put potatoes in an omelet? Wait! Onion. Onion's fine."

"I just made it like I thought you did?" Seren replied with an amused shrug. "Maybe I moved some ingredients around." He was pleased that Pax seemed to like it so much, at least. "Cheese... potatoes, sure. Onions. Got it. I'll have to see if you like this."

He set about making this request, stopping a moment to look over his shoulder. "You're definitely hungry enough for all this? I mean, I guess the toast will help, so..."

Pax was smiling, his cheeks rounded out with food.

"Oh yeah. Drinking beer is like having a giant meal that instantly turns into hunger," he said. "I'm ravenous."

"I see," Seren replied, smirking. "Well enjoy your toast, I'll have omelets ready in just a sec."

Of course, it did take a little longer than that to chop some onions, then dice and season some potatoes, which he fried together before adding them to the eggs along with a generous portion of cheese. It was easier to just make two that were the same, so soon enough he had two identical large omelets, one of which he set down next to Pax's first plate.

"Enjoy," he said with a smile, sitting down to start on his own. He was starving too, and for some reason, really happy to be making food for Pax. He told himself it was just the additional warmth he felt for the other man after hearing parts of his sad history.

Pax hummed cheerily, finishing his toast and waiting with a much more settled stomach for his omelet which, damn, did that look good.

He grinned, immediately tucking into it without waiting for the go-ahead. "Fuck, kitten, you're definitely some sort of _gourmett_." He pronounced the word with a hard 't,' obliviously.

Not having the heart currently to correct Pax's pronunciation, Seren just smirked and shook his head. "I'm definitely _gourmett_," he agreed instead. It was surprisingly nice to see the older man in such a good mood and so happy with his cooking. Seren decided to just let himself enjoy it, his own mood much warmer than usual.

*

By the next week, things were definitely looking up for Seren. He'd started to bring in more money, by putting in the work, and was already looking at a decent amount of savings. The strange part was how he never considered finding himself an apartment or even just a hotel room on his own, and Pax had certainly never brought it up again either.

With more credits to his name, Seren was beginning to remember parts of his old life he actually missed. Partially on a whim, he purchased a set of dumbbells for the ship so that he could start lifting some weights again without the need to visit a gym. Then again, the gym sounded kind of good.

As he carried his new purchase through the airlock of the Siren, he was startled to see Pax was there, likely about to head out. "Oh, hey," he said with an awkward grin, hefting the dumbbells. "Don't mind me."

Pax blinked, looking over the dumbbells in Seren's arms.

"Oh, hey, yourself," he smirked, "You know... I have a gym that I go to, right? You've complained about the size of the Siren, and yet you're trying to build a gym in her."

He laughed, shrugging, moving to one side to allow him to pass, "It's a good idea, at least. But y'know, I was actually just heading out. The membership includes a plus one. Wanna join me?"

"I knew that, vaguely. But I never wanted to impose even more or spend money on a membership or anything."

Seren stepped past Pax but turned again. "Shit, though... You're right about the space. This is all I would've brought in, but still." Hesitating a moment, he finally continued, "Sure, if that's alright. Just hold up a minute, I'll go grab my stuff."

He hurried to set the dumbbells someplace secure, then threw his gym clothes into a bag so he could change there instead.

"So what's your workout routine?" he asked Pax curiously, following the older man out of the airlock again.

Pax whistled to himself while he waited, drumming on his thighs, before eventually swaying his hips.

When Seren returned, and they had sealed the ship securely, he put his arm around Seren's shoulders, as was his habit, and led him through the streets towards the converted warehouse that was his gym.

"I like to lift weights and shit, but since I don't come by so regularly, I try and do a good amount for everything. Some pull-ups, press-ups, bench press, tricep dips, overhead press, biceps curls..." He glanced sideways at Seren. "Sits-ups, my least fucking favorite, then all the leg stuff after, cuz you can shower right after. If there's someone there I know, sometimes we spar a bit. Some pads and kickboxing kinda stuff, but... You know Fortuna, not many people play fair. Usually ends in a friendly scrap. "

By now, Seren hardly noticed when Pax put an arm around his shoulders as they walked. It happened anytime they went out together, so he'd started taking it for granted.

"Impressive. Sounds good, if you don't get around to it that often." He snuck a glance up at the taller man. "You doing all that today, then? I guess I never did quite so many exercises. I mean, I fucking _tried_ to lift weights, but it never really did much for me." There was a definite bitter tone to his voice as he admitted this. "Mostly I did running, then the weightlifting, just a bit of hand-to-hand combat type stuff, kickboxing..."

He contemplated what Pax had told him last. "Okay then. Wanna spar with me before we leave? I might be a little fairer than your average Fortuna opponent." Seren kept a smirk to himself; he wouldn't let Pax know he'd had training. Hopefully, he could surprise him.

"Sounds good to me, kitten. Ugh, running. I can run, but it's definitely not my first choice of exercise by far," Pax said slyly, giving the shorter man a wink. "Maybe you can join in my little routine, huh?"

"Running is great. Gets your mind off all kinds of shit. At least for a while." Seren had needed to use that more than once in the past. And he wasn't about to ask Pax what his first choice of exercise was.

"Oh... I guess so. But I haven't really been exercising for some time now, so I'll probably be sore tomorrow. I don't mind, though." He wasn't sure how he would fare against Pax's routine specifically, but it was worth a try. He still might be able to hold his own while sparring.

"This it?" he asked, eyeing the building just ahead.

"We'll go easy, cutiepie, you'll be fine. I bet you're better than you think," Pax said, his tone cheery and sweet as they approached.

"Yeah, this is it," he said. "You book out the different gyms, so I can get us a private one if you like? There's only some times I like being checked out while I'm lifting."

Alright, so he loved showing off how much he could bench, but... Maybe Seren would feel special.

"Maybe," Seren mumbled, holding back any further reservations about the idea. It really couldn't be that bad. "Looks cool. Like a gym in disguise," he smirked.

It took him a little while to debate whether he wanted a private gym room with Pax. On the one hand, he wouldn't have to face any additional stares if he didn't perform so well. On the other, it meant being completely alone with Pax. Which, he reasoned, he often was on the ship anyway.

"Okay. Private one sounds good for today," he agreed, though there was a slightly nervous edge to his voice that he couldn't fully hide.

Grinning, Pax lead him into one of the smaller, private gyms. This one was lined with thin mats for sparring, and the equipment and weights lay neatly around the outside of it, with assisted machines on one side of the room.

"Showers are that way," he said, gesturing to a small room past the machines as he bounced from one foot to the other, shaking his hands out. "Just let me know when you're ready."

Seren took a little time to study the layout of the room, noting the available equipment before he nodded. "Okay, I'll be back once I've changed."

He headed into the shower area, not wasting any time as he changed into his loose-fitting gym clothes, leaving his regular clothes on one of the benches and hurrying back out to rejoin Pax.

"Ready," he said with what he hoped was a confident smile. "What's first?"

"Warm up!" he said enthusiastically. "Like, jumping jacks and shit. Fifty?"

Pax led him through a swift warm-up before bounding over to a barbell and eyeing Seren up.

"I reckon-" he said, picking up some medium weights and attaching them to the barbell, "You'll manage this much. Lift with your knees, see how you do, and copy me exactly."

He moved over to another barbell with a couple of heavier weights attached, spreading his feet and crouching to grip the bar.

"If it's too easy, grab some more," he said as he slowly brought the bar up, his toned arms flexing.

Seren grinned, following Pax through a warmup that felt actually invigorating. It was nice to move around like this again after not even considering it for so long.

He accepted Pax's judgment of how much he could lift, copying the older man as he was told to. It wasn't the easiest lift he had ever done, and he did have to groan a little as he strained in disappointment, but managed to hold it for a while.

"Ugh. Fuck," he muttered as he set the barbell down again. "I need to practice more." He watched Pax in silence for a moment, trying not to make it seem like he was staring. The older man's arms were nice to look at, though...

"Don't... Worry," Pax grunted, carefully bringing the barbell down when he was finished, already glowing a little. He rolled his neck and stretched out before adjusting his grip and hefting the barbell in a different motion.

"I, I did make it a little... More difficult for you," he huffed, "I knew you... Could take it."

"Oh, did you?" Seren replied with a smirk. "That was thoughtful. I'm gonna knock it down a little though, work up to it..."

He tore his eyes away from Pax a moment to switch out the weights on the barbell to something he thought was more manageable, pleased to find that he was right. It wasn't _easy_, but at least he could lift it for longer than a few seconds at a time.

"Careful, there," he said, eyeing Pax's own lifting. Then he smirked. "Don't hurt yourself trying to impress me."

By that point, Pax was just getting sweaty enough for it to be the perfect moment.

He cocked an eyebrow as he adjusted his stance so that he could perform some bicep curls, and then he set the bar down and pulled his shirt off, casually tossing it to one side.

"Impress you? Oh, no, kitten, I know I can't. Don't worry," he said, making his way over to a suspended bar and standing on tiptoes to it, gripping it and starting to do his pull-ups, going purposefully slowly so that the slight sliding of muscle was more visible. Pax wasn't what he'd call _buff_, but he was toned and liked to show off.

"Well, as long as you're not even trying." He narrowed his eyes, realizing he was doing _nothing_ while Pax had ever so casually taken his shirt off and was suddenly doing pull-ups in a way that made Seren want to just _look_ at him some more. Fair enough, he did kind of have a thing for shirtless, sweaty guys... Just that usually they were playing a guitar.

He wouldn't take his own shirt off at this point, deciding it was too embarrassing. But since he was supposed to be doing the same routine, he moved to another bar, one set lower, (was it for short people? that was fucking embarrassing, too) and grabbed it, starting to pull himself slowly only because he had to. Trying to keep his attention on what he was doing was difficult, as his eyes kept flicking over to the other man as he strained to repeat the motion as long as possible.

When Pax hopped down, he was grinning encouragingly. He could see the lean beginnings of tight muscle in Seren's arms. It didn't increase the appeal (he thought the younger man was attractive before), but it was still impressive.

"Looking good," he said brightly. "You're doing awesomely. Wanna fight me? Then we can do leg stuff."

"Thanks," Seren replied, surprised but pleased by this positivity. He hadn't really expected Pax to be disappointed, but... There was just something really nice about his approval.

"Yeah. Fight _me_," he challenged with a smirk, looking around toward the mats. "Is a general kickboxing style okay? And I agree to fight fair, so I hope you do too. No augments, of course. I want to take you on the best I can."

Seren wasn't nervous or worried at all. He stood on the mat, expression determined, his body almost automatically taking on a fighting stance with arms up to protect his face. It would be obvious to Pax that he had done this before, and he was eager for the chance to do it again.

Pax flicked his hair from his eyes and moved into a ready stance, nodding in agreement to Seren's terms. He left it a beat before going on the offensive, darting in with a jab and then hopping back to avoid the retaliation.

Seren was quick, a fun opponent, he could tell with only the first few seconds. He moved to Seren's side and swung a leg out and up, only for it to be dodged. He leaned into his miss and spun away, grinning.

"Been a while since anyone could go toe to toe with me," he said, his eyes bright.

Seren was also smiling almost immediately; he realized he was having fun.

"Must be some shitty fighters here on Fortuna, then," he said casually, circling away after Pax's kick, light on his feet. "Guess we can work out a little of that aggression toward each other."

They hadn't _really_ been aggressive toward each other, but Seren was referring more to their continued arguments. Even those just didn't seem as bad as before.

Seren suddenly darted in close, aiming two jabs at his face before abruptly bringing up one knee toward Pax's leg, wanting to see how fast he could react.

"Yeah, I'm looking at one," Pax laughed.

The feint very nearly threw him off, however, and he needed to stagger back to avoid the knee. Seren was a good liar, apparently.

Pax struck out with stronger blows, aiming for power to break through speedy defenses, but he could tell they were surprisingly evenly matched without his augments. And he was actually fighting fair, which he wouldn't usually.

"You just said I was about matched to you, though," Seren snorted in laughter. "So you're a shitty fighter, too."

Pax's moves became stronger, and he realized it was to try to balance out his own speed. He pushed himself, moving even faster, trying to dodge the heavier blows as best he could. They both seemed to be doing so well against each other, it was as if they were meant to spar together. Which was definitely a weird thought to him.

"You're gonna lose," he muttered cheekily, tossing an uppercut combination at Pax's chin.

Pax laughed, heartily and breathily as he was forced to duck and dive away from sharp, quick blows. He caught Seren by the wrist and spun him in against his bare chest.

"You _sure_, kitten?" he purred, but Seren managed to slip from his grip and dart away, coming back with swift jabs.

After a moment, Pax saw his chance and took it, snatching again at Seren's wrists and toppling him to the ground, falling with him. Panting and grinning, Pax straddled the smaller man, pinning his legs by laying his shins across them, and holding his wrists above his head.

...But fuck, did Seren look delicious like that. His hair mussed up, high color from the effort in his cheeks, muscles more defined from the blood pumping through them, chest heaving... Pax was aware he was half-hard, mercifully not so much that the younger man could notice from that angle.

"I'm sure," Seren had replied, confidently, even as Pax pulled him in close. Much too close.

He managed to slip away without it seeming too much like he was panicking, desperately not wanting the older man to see any attraction. Because he _was_ attracted.

The fight was going well, he was so sure he could win. But then his wrists had been grabbed, a move he seemed defenseless against, at least when it came to Pax, and he was swept to the mat along with him. His legs were pinned, his wrists held over his head; he was panting, sweaty, with Pax's handsome face in a similar condition above his own... There was a dawning moment of dismay when Seren realized the situation was arousing him. He could definitely feel an erection starting to swell, which he desperately hoped the older man would never be aware of.

_Why now?! No! Fuck!_

"What part of kickboxing involves doing this?" he tried to ask calmly. "Cheater." But he wasn't struggling. He didn't know what to do.

Pax couldn't resist. He was sure he could feel the same tension in Seren that he was experiencing. He leaned close to Seren's lips, holding his gaze with hard eyes.

"My favorite kind," he purred. "And I won. No need to be sour, sweetie."

"I'm not sour. You agreed to fight fair. So you're a liar, too," Seren gasped quickly.

Pax's gaze was mesmerizing. Seren wanted the older man to keep looking at him that way. He began to struggle, but just slightly, and was appalled at his body's response. He got even _harder_ when he did that.

"And a jerk," he said softly, eyeing Pax's lips, so close to his. "Such a fucking jerk."

Pax smirked, about to move, when...

Seren was _hard_. He could feel it. Unmistakable, unmissable, and it only served to turn him on more. He stared for a moment before smirking again and sliding off.

"Maybe you'd like to try again sometime. Take your time getting up, kitten," he murmured suggestively.

"Yeah, maybe I wouldn't like to," he grumbled, though he didn't mean that. Pax had gotten up, which was a relief and disappointment all in one. Seren sat up too, turning away but not standing. He definitely needed a moment. It was just that Pax's tone indicated he had probably felt... No. Maybe he hadn't.

"It doesn't mean anything, you know." He didn't know what he was saying. "I just think you're a jerk."

"Sure, sure," Pax said smugly, glancing over his shoulder at the younger man as he went to grab a towel. "I'm gonna skip leg day, but I might come back tomorrow. See how you feel, hmmmmm?"

"I... yeah." He couldn't do any more right now, either. There was no way he could focus on it. He wanted to shower and maybe hit the arcade, forget about Pax's weight pressing on him, those large hands pinning him, his eyes with their harsh stare...

"Maybe I will, too," he mumbled, barely audible. He wanted to. He just hated himself for it right now.

Several minutes after Pax headed into the showers, Seren slowly followed, calmer than before.

By the time Seren followed, Pax was mercifully no longer hard, so he wasn't at all embarrassed about his bare ass on display.

"I'd love a rematch," he said over his shoulder as he heard Seren's approach. "If you think I'm such a cheat." He hadn't heard Seren's mumbled reply in the gym.

He strode off towards the shower cubicles, calling back, "Hey, you wanna get some food on the way back? My treat!"

Seeing Pax naked was no longer a surprise anymore, but Seren did catch himself looking for a split second longer than he thought he should. He wasn't surprised, with all that was going through his mind, but he still didn't like it.

"You're on, cheater. Maybe even tomorrow," he replied as casually as possible, stripping down to his underwear and grabbing a towel. Thankfully, his arousal was gone. Maybe it had just been some sort of... accident.

While he had initially thought he wouldn't like to see Pax for a little while, his offer was so tempting. He couldn't even figure out why. "Okay. I mean, if you're treating, I don't see why not." He quickly ducked into a cubicle to remove his underwear and start the shower running. Everything that had happened was really still not making sense to him.


	17. Part 17: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax helps Seren through a flare of his temper before they make plans to go their separate ways...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone curious, about a year has passed (in story) since the first chapter.

In the intervening days since their first time sparring together, Pax had found himself thinking more and more, near _constantly_ about Seren's flushed, vulnerable expression as he was pinned beneath him. It had felt undeniably sensual, which was absolutely not a word he ever fucking used. But it was the only one he could think of in relation to the situation. Everything else that it evoked was pure animal lust, which didn't have words, in Pax's case.

He slipped out of the bathroom, dressed if slightly flushed, and called out to Seren, "Shower's free, cutiepie."

"'Kay," Seren called back, making his way over. He didn't look at Pax, because he didn't want to think about what he was going to be doing in the shower... besides taking a shower.

Because he was going to get off, hurriedly jerking himself in an almost embarrassed way, even with no one to see, under the hot spray of water. Because he was _still_ thinking about Pax's dominating expression as he leaned over, pinning Seren down, rendering him helpless...

He needed to stop. But he couldn't. Even if it hadn't happened again yet, their sparring in the meantime had been undeniably... charged. He wondered if he should say something, but knew he wouldn't be able to.

Finished in the shower and fully dressed, he finally left the bathroom and wandered toward his computer setup. He didn't know if Pax would be sticking around or not, but he decided to just get some work done anyway.

Pax had decided to remain there for the day. He had a few things to take care of with the cockpit. Given that the Siren had been grounded for quite a while now, the last time he'd tried to take her for a spin, she had failed her backup power test during pre-flight checks.

It was slow going to trace the problem back to what the failure was, but Pax made headway over the course of the day and was taking a well-deserved break, he felt, in the kitchen, perched on the counter with a soda and a gross but satisfying instant pastry.

Seren was genuinely satisfied with the amount of work he had accomplished so far that day, and had stood up to stretch for a moment. He kind of wished he had his own room on the Siren, just for more space, but that would really be asking too much.

Just a couple more hours, he thought, sitting down again and turning slightly to pick up a laptop he had recently purchased as a sort of secondary computer since he had no room for anything larger. It was much easier to work on multiple systems with a backup, even if it was small.

He powered it on, watching it start to load up... and then the screen went black.

Followed by his main computer screen.

For a moment, he stared, disbelieving. The power buttons did nothing when he checked them. And he might have lost a full day of progress.

"_What the fuck_?" he spat, just a little too loudly. "There's no fucking way there could be a problem this bad all of a sudden!"

Pax's purple hair flopped around the doorframe a split second before he did, blinking in surprise.

"Everything okay, kitten? You got tech troubles?" he asked, sounding concerned. The kid had only just bought the stupid laptop.

"Yeah. Yeah, really big fucking trouble." He was barely aware he was talking to Pax at the time, scrambling to check the wires around everything and make sure none of them had come loose. When that failed to provide an answer, he tried to look around for anything else he could think of and missing the actual cause through his frantic search, mind racing with anger.

"Wait. Pax." He looked up at the older man. "Were you around here? Did you touch anything?"

"You said it yourself, cutiepie, the ship's pretty fucking small. I move past, I get stuff, but... I haven't touched anything," Pax offered. "You need a hand?"

"No," Seren replied instantly, the angry look not leaving his face. "No, you did something. I don't know what, but there's just no fucking way this is possible."

He looked around again in helpless rage, before turning back to Pax. "What did you fucking _do_?"

"Seren," Pax said levelly, "I didn't _do_ anything to your fucking computer. I don't know how! And I wouldn't touch your expensive shit."

"Maybe not. Maybe you wouldn't," Seren rambled, still without a focus. "Not directly. You wouldn't mess with it on purpose. But it's still your fault, somehow. Because I didn't do a fucking thing to cause this."

He kept his glare on Pax, jumping to his feet. "It's this ship. This damn ship! It's such a fucking mess! And it's all yours! You just did something when you went past, tripped over something, I don't know! There's no explanation except _you_!"

By now, he was beginning to yell. It was the sort of thing that often happened to him, getting mindlessly angry and lashing out at whoever was nearby. At least when he lived around people regularly at the colony. Right now, Pax was the only one to direct it at.

Pax folded his tattooed arms and leveled a look at Seren.

"You fucking done screaming? Good, maybe you can listen to me. I did not do a thing to your computers. I keep this area tidy, just for you," he said, gesturing to the clear area they had made to accommodate Seren's machines.

"Yeah, sure," Seren snapped, pushing his chair aside so he could stand closer to Pax. He was actually feeling unusually confrontational. "Doesn't _fucking_ explain what happened, then! I spent a whole day processing a program and wasn't finished with it yet! If my computers are wiped, then I don't have the information anymore!"

The volume of his voice hadn't gone down in the slightest. "_You_ fucking listen. I don't know how it happened, but some of your mess managed to get into this space that you _supposedly_ keep so fucking tidy! How many times do I have to say there is _no other fucking way it happened_!" Seren's face was flushing darker, and his eyes had a wild look in them, which showed he had lost control. If he had been rational at the time, he would have really not wanted anything like this to happen.

Pax suddenly snatched Seren's wrists and held his gaze, obviously full of anger he had been trying to hide.

"You ungrateful shit, you would be homeless if it wasn't for me," he hissed. "Listen, and listen _well_; _I did not fucking touch your stuff_. I tidy for you, I changed stuff, I made room in my life for you. Now, I'm sorry if you've lost work, I really fucking am, that sucks, but don't you dare yell at me when you have absolutely no idea what went wrong."

He yanked Seren's wrist and moved him against the wall, "Now _calm_. _**Down**_."

Seren paused immediately as soon as Pax grabbed his wrists and started speaking to him firmly. This had never been the reaction from anyone else. They had tended to cower, or just left him to his own anger.

He stared at the taller man, his breathing beginning to slow. At some point, he had been moved against the wall, but he only vaguely remembered it. Right now, he was only really aware of Pax's hard gaze and the hands on his wrists, his words which had made complete _sense_.

"I..." he started, suddenly ashamed. "Okay, I'm sorry. I just... freaked out again." He looked away, licking lips which had suddenly turned very dry. "I _am_ grateful for what you've done for me. I can't explain this. Just need to... calm down, maybe look again," he finished in a mumble, now more red from embarrassment than anger.

Pax's breaths were short, but quiet, as he listened to what the younger man had to say, nodding slowly. Holding him like this, maneuvering him so easily, the way Seren _looked_...

"Yes, you do," he said firmly. "And you are going to let me help," he added, leaving no room for him to argue.

"Alright, alright," Seren sighed, shrugging helplessly. "I mean, you can't really help, but... yeah, you can help." Pax didn't look like he was going to back down.

"You should let me go, first," he suggested, even though that was the last thing he actually wanted just then.

Pax eyed him, glancing at his hands gripping Seren's slim wrists. Once again, he was struck by how much he was fighting arousal. The space was cramped, and he could smell Seren's light, subtle scent, a mixture of fresh deodorant and the sort of soap that would be marketed as "cool water" or "rainfall" or something; Pax didn't give a shit, it smelled wonderful. 

He licked his lips and said quietly, "I should."

He made no move to do so.

Seren's heart began beating faster when Pax didn't release him. What was happening...?

"Yeah. I mean, we can't look if you don't." His voice was unusually quiet. They were close enough that Seren could feel Pax's body heat, like all those times at the gym, but somehow it was different. He didn't want _either_ of them to move away. But he didn't know what he really wanted instead.

When the other man remained still a little longer, he looked up slowly. "Are you... just really mad at me, then?"

"Yeah, that must be it," Pax said softly, moving closer, before remembering himself and jerking back.

"C'mon. Uh. Show me what to do, huh?"

The breath Seren drew in when Pax began to approach even further was more audible than it should have been. He quickly cleared his throat to cover for it once the taller man suddenly let him go.

"Sure," he said, moving down to his knees a little too fast and bumping into the chair on his way. "Uh... right. Check some of these wires here, the ones coming out from this device." He tapped a rectangular box with what looked to be at least a dozen wires coming from it; rather than explaining what it was, he thought it would be simpler to just have Pax look. "See if there's fraying anywhere. Sometimes it happens on some of this newer shit when the manufacturers aren't as careful."

He only knew this from all the research he'd done on the 'net, but instead of explaining that, he only started looking at some of the other devices. It was probably so obvious, and he was going to be really embarrassed.

Pax nodded, following each wire from the black box with care, turning them over in his hands to examine each connection.

The majority of them were fine, but as he came to the connection of the tenth one he checked, he found it a little loose. He frowned and wiggled it back into place.

So far, Seren had found nothing. In a way that was relieving, but in another, it wasn't.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Pax moving one of the wires. "Oh, hey. Did you find something, maybe?" He held out his hand for the device, startled to note that his palms were somewhat sweaty.

"This fucker won't go back in," Pax said, standing straight and showing Seren where the connector wouldn't click into place, sliding out at the slightest motion. "Might be your problem?"

"Ahh... shit." Their hands brushed as Seren reached for the wire, which was when he realized he was kind of aroused. A little more aroused, now.

"Uh yeah, I need a new wire," he said, examining it. "I'm definitely never buying from this manufacturer again." He exhaled slowly, unable to look up at Pax. "Listen, I'm... I'm sorry. My temper just... I shouldn't have... y'know," he finished, swallowing hard.

Pax considered what he wanted to do, then again. And he still cupped Seren's jaw gently, quirking an eyebrow.

"Maybe you'll think twice before you blame me, hm?" he said quietly. "But hey, it's sorted out, it was all okay. Nothing is broken."

The hand on his jaw, along with Pax's quiet words, settled Seren further. He nodded, wishing he didn't have to pull away from the other older man. But he did.

"Yeah, it's okay. Thanks for helping me sort it out. But I've been thinking... I guess this is a good time to tell you something. I mean, you're here, and we're not yelling at each other for now," he began with a faint smirk.

"Oh? Oh, I dunno, I could yell some more," Pax laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets and cocking his head. "What's going on, kiddo? Spill."

"Heh, I'm sure we both could, and especially because you just called me that _again_," he chuckled, turning to the side. "But considering what just happened, especially..."

Seren took a moment to collect his thoughts, running a hand through his fluffy hair. "Well, like I said, I was thinking. I've saved up quite a bit, and if I recover everything from today, I'll have even more. Maybe in a few weeks... I should have enough for a down payment on a small ship of my own. And enough work that I can continue to pay it off without any worry. So should we, like... plan for that? It would get me out from underfoot, and you'd have all your space back, you could go back to living the way you want."

There was no way he could look at Pax, still. Something different was gripping his stomach now, something he didn't like at all. Something that made no sense.

Pax felt as though he'd been slapped. Any laughter that remained in his expression drained in an instant.

Seren wanted to leave. And, really... Of course, he did. Pax knew it wasn't going to be an arrangement forever, but part of him had clearly been hoping, since he was so blindsided by the notion.

"Oh. Oh... Well... Sure. Of course, I mean, you don't wanna stay with _me_. Fuck," he said with forced humor that didn't reflect in his eyes.

"You mean _you_ don't want _me_ around anymore, getting my dumb computer shit all in your way. Uh, your laundry bitch," Seren tried to laugh. "It can go right back here, where it used to be." He pointed where his computer was, but just felt numb instead of amused.

"Okay, so it's settled. We can pick a day in a few weeks, and... Oh, wait. I don't have to impose this on you. I could get a shuttle over to the nearest ship dealer, yeah? It would save you from having to rush to get the Siren flightworthy and all, since I wasn't sure how much work you had left to do." He still wasn't really looking at Pax, certain that the other man was fine with all this. Why would he even really want Seren to stick around?

"I'll go with you," Pax said, firm but also somehow weak. "I mean, I know ships really well. So, uh... Yeah. I'll take you. The Siren is nearly there, I ran some tests, and she's humming again, so. Yeah."

He wanted to say more, he wanted to tell him to stay. Instead, he just mumbled, "I don't mind the laundry bitch under the bed, actually..."

"That sounds good," Seren replied, trying not to sound _too_ relieved. For some reason, it was difficult to think about heading off the station without Pax. "Thanks. You've really done so much for me. I wish I could repay you. And it'll be cool to see your flight skills in action, finally." He also could hardly imagine the Siren taking off. It seemed like more of a permanent fixture in the shipyard, to him.

"Oh." He was startled into a smile. "Well, you can leave it there, then. Who knew it would find a better home? But you'll be relieved. No more of my screaming or accusing you of shit you didn't do." The smile was quickly faltering. He should just drop the subject, but something kept him rambling on.

Pax smirked a little at the mention of his flight skills. He _had_ been bragging, but not without good reason. He was a good pilot, in the same way Seren bragging about hacking would be justified.

"I meant-... Nevermind. Wanna set off tomorrow since you wanna get going?" he said quietly, pissed off with his own bitter tone.

"Oh... tomorrow?"

There had been a reason Seren had wanted to set the date a few weeks into the future; he'd thought he would need more time to get used to the idea of leaving Pax. But the older man was suggesting _tomorrow_ instead. And combined with his tone, it could only mean Pax wanted him gone as soon as possible.

"Alright," he agreed, trying to sound confident about the decision. "Tomorrow's fine. I really had best get going, after all. We can discuss it more in a little while, but I'm gonna head out and get a replacement wire. If that's alright?" Seren didn't know why he asked, but he just needed a little time away to process what had happened. And hopefully settle his stomach, as he almost felt nauseous.

"Cool," Pax said quietly. "It'll take a while to get a ship down onto Fortuna for you, so... If you don't wanna stay any longer, it's best to just get on it."

_Rip the fucking band-aid off._

He rubbed his forehead and nodded, "Sure. You do that. I'll see you in a bit."

He made his way back to the cockpit, pulling himself up and sitting in the pilot's seat, listening. He waited until Seren had left, the airlock sounding almost as hollow as he felt, before putting his arms against the controls, trying to steady his breaths.

Why was he so upset? What was different about Seren? Why did he feel so sick at the thought of never having the kid smile at one of his dumb jokes again? He wasn't fucking _dying_... But Pax knew. Seren wouldn't contact him again.

Maybe it was just him, maybe Seren didn't feel any of the friendship he did. Nor the lust...

"Fuck," he mumbled to himself.


	18. Part 18: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a brief delay, the Siren Song takes off for the first time in a while.

Seren wandered through the streets a good ten minutes before he remembered the replacement wire. Then he turned in the proper direction to reach the shop he would need, though he had to backtrack quite a bit for that.

His mind had really been full of too many deeply troubling thoughts. The biggest one being _why_ this felt so awful. It had been easier, in his mind, to tell Pax and believe the reaction between them would be lighthearted, maybe joking. Pax would have made some dumb joke (Seren always rolled his eyes but laughed at these, no matter how stupid, or at least just _smiled_) and told him he was proud his kid had finally grown up. Or something.

But the reality was that maybe Pax didn't care if he left either way. The older man had been kind to him, but he had also turned into so much more than Seren ever thought he would. The suave liar who only seemed to want his body had become someone he trusted, someone who was friendly and often silly and had yet to abandon Seren whenever his awful temper struck.

It was possible he had been fooling himself. Maybe it really was simple kindness, in which case Pax was kinder than many he had known. But he still might want to be rid of Seren, to carry on living his own life.

Then there was that undeniable attraction. It was possibly one-sided by this point. He couldn't even deny that he'd gotten turned on around Pax. Fuck, he'd even _masturbated_ thinking about the older man pinning him down. Didn't change the fact that Seren was way too inexperienced to be of interest, even if Pax _was_ interested. He'd likely blown that chance a long time ago.

He purchased the part he needed but took his time walking back. An hour must have gone by before he punched in the code at the Siren's airlock and entered.

"I'm home," he mumbled, feeling a dense weight pressing against his chest. For some reason, he didn't want to be saying this to an empty ship of his own soon. As he went to look for the other man, he told himself one more time that Pax didn't need him, and he was just scared of being alone again, that was all.

Pax didn't move for a long time after the airlock closed, leaning his head against his arms over the controls. Eventually, he slid back down to the belly of the Siren, wandering through the rooms that felt all too empty without Seren. _This is what it will feel like from now on._

He'd always been content alone. He'd get used to it again.

The sound of Seren's voice made him brighten and turn towards it, though he remembered it wouldn't be for much longer.

"Hey! You get your wire okay?" he asked, making his way out to the corridor.

Seeing Pax was a relief, and Seren smiled, even if he had to remind himself it wasn't going to last. But for now...

"Yeah, here it is." He held up the wire to show the older man, then nodded toward his computer space. "Want to watch me fix it? We can see if it ruined anything. Maybe if you're around, I won't go into a rage if it's completely fucked," he said with the barest smirk.

For now, he just had to pretend everything was okay.

Seren seemed happy. Maybe he really was pleased to be shot of Pax. The thought was surprisingly painful, but he shrugged it off.

"Ha. Well. I won't hold it against you if you've lost work. What about this; if you've lost all your progress, I'll go and buy a bottle of whiskey," he laughed weakly.

"Heh, okay," Seren agreed, making his way over with Pax following. "I'll be passed out in no time that way."

For some reason, he felt like showing Pax how to replace the wire, talking him through it in another effort to make himself feel better. It already seemed like Pax was more distant, somehow. Could he have been pretending so much just to keep Seren's hopes up?

"And now I just turn it on." As expected, the computer started up fine, and after a short search, his fingers moving quickly over the keys, he found what he was looking for. "Ahh... shit. It's fine! Everything is here." He exhaled slowly, beyond relieved. It was work he had completed on a program, and not just money that had been at stake.

"Good thing, too. You shouldn't have whiskey if you're flying tomorrow." The thought was sobering, and he looked away. "The Siren's really ready for flight? Should we leave in the morning?" He honestly hated asking these questions.

Pax watched with a small smile, sighing in relief when Seren's program was safe.

"So there really wasn't a need to yell at me," he chuckled, nudging the younger man. "That's great, cutiepie, I'm glad it was all okay."

Suddenly, he saw a way to delay the inevitable, and damned if he wasn't gonna try.

"Er, actually... Maybe I spoke too soon," he said carefully. "The, uh, tertiary backups failed on my last try. Maybe my fix for the _other_ problem caused more..."

"Yeah, yeah," Seren grumbled, though he was still smiling a bit. "It's kinda fun to yell at you, anyway. Thanks, though."

Though surprised, he was cautiously hopeful at Pax's words. "Oh? Is that what you were checking while I was gone? So you'll need some extra time?" It was a nice thought, that he might get to stay here normally a little longer. But at the same time, it was just putting off this terrible feeling for a little while longer.

"Yeah, uh. Yeah. Another couple of days, at least. Is that okay? Promise I'll make it up to you. I'll be the best roommate," he said, his voice too bright with hope as he listed all the things he would do; make Seren breakfast, clean up, do all the dishes, he wouldn't need to worry about a _thing_.

"What's another couple days?" Seren replied with a smile. "Sure, that's fine. Wow though, being the best roommate _now_. I wish I had the best one months ago." Even though he was teasing, he couldn't figure out why Pax would so badly want to make him happy because of the delay.

"It's okay, though, really. You don't have to do all that and take care of the ship's problems. Maybe... maybe just breakfast. You know it's hard for me to wake up. And I'll just keep working and get some more credits to move this along smoother." It was actually kind of shocking how much happier he felt, knowing it was another couple of days away, even though he would have to go through this all over again.

"Sure, I can do breakfast. I can even try and make that thing you did with the-" Pax gestured a squat round thing, meaning an English muffin. "With the eggs and meat and buttery sauce. You made it last week."

Pax was _elated_. His heart was pounding. Seren was staying, even for a couple of days.

"The eggs benedict," Seren grinned. "You can try. Maybe I can show you a little bit, first? I don't want you to ruin it." He realized he was gazing up at the taller man a little too happily, but quickly turned so he wouldn't do that anymore.

"Okay, that's settled. I wanna finish this program before tonight, in case anything else happens in the meantime. So I'll leave you to whatever it is you need to do?" He did turn back then, looking at Pax more calmly.

Pax grinned, "I'd like that! Show me how to make the holidays sauce. Holidays? Hollindays. Whateverthefuck."

He was so delighted that Seren _staying_, he couldn't care less about what he needed to do.

"I'll go and, uh, work on the engines. Gimme a shout if you need anything, okay?" he said, still grinning.

"Hollandaise," Seren replied, chuckling. "The yellowy saucy shit. Okay, good luck with the engines. I'll let you know."

He waited until Pax had disappeared before he sat down, smiling softly, to do his work.

*

He'd known this would happen.

It didn't matter how good the two days were (and they _were_ good, with no fighting, for once.) They still had to face the fact that the morning would come when they would be leaving the station together, and finding a new ship for himself.

It had left him in kind of a bad mood, actually.

"It's really done, then? You fixed everything? I do want to make it off the station intact." Seren had gone to find Pax near the engines, apparently making some last-minute checks. Right now, it was easier to act aloof than it was to act friendly.

"Yep yep," Pax said distractedly, flicking some switches and sparking the connections. The engines were perfect. He'd worked so hard on them, so intense in his farce that they were better than when he had gotten the damn ship.

"Flight mode in... Fifteen?" he offered, feeling saddened to say it aloud, but this time he couldn't stall anymore.

Flight mode would anchor the gravity and allow them to take off without launching their possessions everywhere, which Pax had definitely done before.

"Okay, good." Seren looked around, appearing distracted, but decided he had best move elsewhere. "I'll go up to the cockpit and wait. I'm looking forward to seeing you handle the ship."

Another time he would have made a joke about not being so sure the Siren had ever been off the ground before, but for now, he only sighed and made his way up, taking a seat at a side console for the time being.

After a few moments, Pax followed, pulling himself up and leaping into the pilot seat, taking an old fashioned headset and shoving it on, before throwing one to Seren.

"She's ex-force, so she's _loud_. You'll need this," he said. Despite everything, he was excited to fly again. "Get secured, and I'll get us started."

The console counted down the flight mode while Pax tapped at the controls as though it was second nature. There was a soft tone, and Pax cleared his throat, "Station flight control, this is The Siren Song, bay Q8-069-" _Dammit, makes me laugh every time..._ "Ahem. Requesting takeoff path."

He waited, looking up and out of the enormous window pane that surrounded the cockpit while talking to the control tower through his headset, "Yep. Yep. No, return. Yeah... Okay, send them through. Cool, thanks!" The console lit up with a flight path, and Pax switched frequencies to Seren's headset, his cheer diminishing as he remembered _why_ he was flying.

"Uh, right. Strapped in?"

Seren caught the headset, wide-eyed in spite of himself. He had flown his own ship, sure, but this seemed to be a little different.

Quickly he threw it on, hurrying to buckle the safety straps around him in the seat, even though Pax was still talking to flight control. His nerves were enough to make him forget the rest for the moment, waiting and watching everything the other man did, able to see he was enjoying himself.

"Yeah, I'm good. Ready to go," he replied with a faint smile.

Pax gave him one of his wolfish grins and, with a flourish, flicked the switches that started the Siren first rumbling, then roaring.

"Okay, Control, Siren Song taking flight in three, two..." he said, near giddy with excitement as the ship lurched from the ground, loud but surprisingly smooth in its movements, smoother than ever. "Catch you later."

The Siren Song followed the pre-determined path, avoiding air traffic. Pax maneuvered easily, humming cheerily as he lifted the ship higher, "Prepping to break atmosphere on your count, Control."

After a second, Pax thrust the throttle forward, and they zipped through the membrane that protected the station, bursting out into orbit, the ship shaking and grinding as they passed through. The purple-haired man punched in new coordinates for the new and used shipyard with a heavy heart, but forced a grin when he turned to Seren, "Ready for hyperspace?"

There was something about space flight that always gave Seren a strange thrill; then again, he supposed it was common among many. Just taking off was enough for him to feel a little excited, despite circumstances. Pax was certainly handling it well so far, and the younger man lost any of the rest of his nervousness over that.

Regardless, he clutched at the armrests as they left the station atmosphere, always a rough experience no matter the ship. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready." He wasn't really. But they needed to get this over with.

Pax took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them, he started the hyperdrive, and suddenly, with a popping of their ears, the ship was surprisingly calm and quiet, stars sliding past in a way that seemed like slow motion, but was actually too fast for their eyes.

"Whew. Okay," he said brightly, pulling his headset off. He threw his arms in the air and whooped happily. "I FUCKING LOVE FLYING!"

Once the ship had gone into hyperdrive, Seren relaxed his grip on the chair. He grinned weakly at Pax's loud exclamation, shaking his head after he removed the headset. "You did great, so I'm surprised you don't do it more. Something to fall back on if you ever get tired of crime, huh?"

He was actually more impressed than that, but wouldn't let on to it. "So... how much time we have?"

"Huh... maybe," Pax mused, blinking in surprise; he'd never even thought of doing so professionally, or whatever.

He glanced down at the console, "74 hours... About three days, cutiepie, so get comfy."

"That's what I thought," Seren sighed. "Alright. I'm gonna... go mess with my computer for a while."

He got up, shuffling away with a frown. Pax was so happy to fly him out to the ship dealer. Part of it was probably enthusiasm for flying in the first place, but really...

They had three days. He already felt miserable and wanted to hide from Pax for a little while.

The older man watched him go, feeling the drive go out of his engines at Seren's tone. Did he want to go _faster_? Perhaps Pax had pushed it too far with making him wait for the ship repairs and tests...

He remained in the cockpit for a while, plotting courses and navigating around potential hazards, checking the 'net for updates, his lip near raw from him chewing it almost anxiously as he did so, watching the stars drift by.


	19. Part 19: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren get into another argument before _finally_... Yes, finally.

Seren flopped down at his computer, glad there wasn't a porthole nearby so he wouldn't have to be reminded they were actually flying instead of safely in the Fortuna shipyard. He didn't know how he was going to make it through three whole days. Then he didn't know how he would make it three days back, since any new ship would have to be delivered to the station.

He was already anxious and moody, determined to just try keeping to himself the majority of the time. Maybe it would be good practice for being on his own again, even if it wasn't even close to accurate.

Pax remained carefully planning their path for the next few days for a while longer before plopping down through the hole that led to the cockpit and shuffling through to Seren's area. "Hey... you hungry, kiddo?"

Seren didn't look up, continuing to numbly punch at keys instead.

"Don't call me that," he snapped, back to some of his usual anger over the name. "And nah, not really. I figure I won't need to eat that much for a while, so go ahead and make noodles for yourself or something." He almost sounded petulant. Maybe Pax would leave him alone.

Pax frowned, leaning against the doorframe and folding his arms. The tone confused him; had he done something? "You gotta eat, kitten. We've still got some veggies and stuff, why don't I make you something? Baked potato?"

"I'm just not hungry. No, don't make me food," Seren sighed. "If I _have_ to eat, I might as well make it myself."

He got up and brushed past the older man, heading into the kitchen. Baked potato wasn't appealing. There was still a head of broccoli left, so he started washing that.

"Why do you even care if I eat or not? Shouldn't matter to you," he said to Pax, hearing that he'd followed. "You don't need to look after me anymore. You're not my father or something." He thought Pax should really stop trying. Even if they still had some time left together, it might be better for Seren to be upset, so it wouldn't feel sad instead.

Pax frowned deeply as he followed Seren, feeling especially hurt. He'd really thought that they were at least friends, even if he didn't get the chance to absolutely rail him like he wanted, but it seemed Seren had stopped pretending.

"I'm not trying to be your fucking dad, I was just-" he started, his stomach cramping. "I just thought we could maybe enjoy the time we have in space since it's fucking cool." _Before you just fuck off out of my life without a second thought, you little-_...

"Well, you're right, space is really fucking cool," Seren agreed irritably, starting to pull apart the broccoli florets by hand. "But you don't have to feel sorry for me anymore. I'm doing fine, right? Back on my feet and all? Once we've got the ship, you really don't have to worry anymore, so don't trouble yourself now either."

It really was better they be angry with each other. Wasn't it? Seren would have no time for sentimental thoughts then. Maybe then he would _want_ to go.

He kept tearing up the broccoli, making the pieces too small in his mental distress.

"I don't feel fucking sorry for you, I'm trying to... I dunno, be a fucking friend to you?!" Pax suddenly hissed, his upset coming through fast and fiery. He put his hand over Seren's on the broccoli, to still him, but was scowling.

"You don't have to do that." Seren was scowling in return, having to look up when Pax put a hand over his. "No one's willingly ever stuck around for me unless they were feeling sorry for me. But I can tell you that I don't fucking need your sympathy. You helped me, and I'm grateful for that, but you can get back to your own life soon. So it's no wonder you rushed me out here. I understand how you're feeling, so don't worry."

His voice had gotten louder slowly, and he was clearly angry as he contemplated how great Pax's life could be again without him around. Pax did _not_ need him. His own feelings were just stupid. "Take your hand off," he muttered warningly, directing a hurt glare up at the older man.

"I rushed?! You're the one that wanted to fucking leave, Seren," Pax said suddenly. "You wanted to go! I've never asked you to!"

He kept his hand where it was, fingers slowly closing around Seren's wrist, "And what if I don't?"

"Yeah, well, I assumed! And you always knew I was going to leave! So don't even fucking give me that. I was gonna wait a few more weeks, and then you suggested _tomorrow_ like you just couldn't fucking wait!"

Pax's fingers were wrapping around his wrist. Seren's heart was pounding with both arousal and anger. "Let me go, Pax. I'll... I'll fucking kick your ass." He knew he couldn't do this, technically, nor did he want to. But he was all alone, with no one to ask for help in the middle of hyperspace...

Pax scowled at him for a long moment before lunging forward and capturing him in a hungry, heated kiss. All passion and fire and lust, and _exactly what he wanted_.

_Fuck it. Kick my ass, I don't care._

After a moment, he pulled away, his lips pink and swollen with how vigorously he'd devoured Seren's mouth, his breath short.

"...Go on, then. Try it."

Seren's first instinct was to try to escape, not knowing why Pax would lunge at him so suddenly. And then...

Their lips met, hard and hot, or at least on Pax's side. Seren was much too stunned at first, his eyes wide open until he submitted to the overwhelming burning _passion_ he was receiving.

When Pax moved back again, Seren's mouth had opened, and he was panting as though he'd just run a race.

_Oh shit, oh fuck, there's no way he really meant to... Oh, fuck!_

"You bastard. Why did you do that?" he asked slowly, in contrast to his racing thoughts. He paid no attention to what the other man said, just needing to know the answer to this. Reaching up, he touched his lower lip, almost still able to feel the pressure of Pax's there.

And fuck, if he hadn't loved it, in hindsight.

"I thought you were gonna kick my ass," Pax said quietly, before frowning.

"I did it cuz I wanted to. I've wanted to for fucking months, it's all I've been _thinking_ about, and if you wanna be a little brat and be a dick to me, then just swan off on your fucking new ship, then I figured, fuck it, I might as well try it," he said breathlessly, flushing slightly as he realized exactly what he'd admitted.

_Shit. This isn't just wanting to fuck someone, is it?_

This had never happened to Pax before. Ever. He'd never _longed_ for someone. He'd never daydreamed about kissing, of all things. And he'd never gotten so turned on by an argument.

As though also trying to escape, he moved in to kiss Seren again, mumbling, "Tell me you don't want it too."

"Yeah, like you really thought that," Seren snorted, still sounding dazed.

He couldn't believe what Pax was telling him. But he wanted to. He really, really wanted to. If it was really true...

"Fuck," he said, the only word he could use to convey anything at all for a while. "I- I'm not a little brat," he muttered, though why he had briefly focused on _that_ phrase, he didn't know. Weirdly, it just turned him on. "I wasn't going to do that. I thought you wanted to be rid of me. And in the meantime, I was wishing that you'd..."

When he trailed off, and Pax spoke and moved back in, he felt more courage. "I don't want it," he breathed, betraying himself by leaning up on his toes so they could kiss again _sooner, properly_.

Pax gently brushed their lips together, cupping Seren's face, kissing him softly, more passion than ravenous hunger this time.

His free hand finally moved, sliding around the smaller man's waist and moving down to spread over his backside, squeezing, lightly at first, but then harder.

This kiss was more gentle, and Seren could feel himself melting into it. He wasn't very practiced at kissing, but with Pax it almost felt... natural.

When he felt Pax slip a hand down and squeeze his ass, it was as though he couldn't help the needy whimper that escaped him.

_Fuck, I'm pathetic._

"I..." Seren started, once Pax pulled away again. His eyes searched the other man's desperately, and there was no way he'd be able to _not_ see that Seren was enjoying himself. But was this going to be enough? Kisses, touching? Or was Pax going to suggest more? More than he'd ever given anyone?

Kissing was always just a fun prelude for Pax, a nice appetizer that promised more. He'd stopped at just kisses before, of course, but it was rare, and oftentimes because the other person had wanted nothing more.

But Seren fucking _whimpered_, and Pax wanted to take him up against the nearest hard surface.

"I want you," he said firmly. No room for interpretation, no room for miscommunication. "I wanna take you to bed and fuck you. If you don't want that, tell me now before I fucking kiss you again."

Seren drew in a sharp breath, realizing he'd started to tremble.

"I want it," he said softly, not even taking two seconds to think. "I want you to. _Fuck_. I just don't think... I don't know... It's not going to be good for you. You might just want to reconsider." He still couldn't bring himself to say it. His lack of experience terrified him. It was possible Pax wouldn't want him anymore, wouldn't want to take the time to help him through...

His stomach cramped wildly at the thought of Pax turning him away.

"I want _you_," Pax reiterated, his lust evident in his slightly wild eyes, his short breaths. "What the fuck wouldn't I enjoy?"

"I don't know," Seren mumbled back. He could see that Pax wanted him. That was so amazingly incredible to him. He couldn't stop now. He would tell the older man... soon.

"Alright," he said softly. "Seems we both want to." But he couldn't make a move, unsure what to do next.

Pax smirked, leaning down to kiss Seren again, pulling him in against his body.

Without a word, he pulled him to the bedroom. He wanted to shove him against the wall, to _ravage_ him like one of those old cheesy paper novels (not that he ever read one or anything) but the younger man seemed... Nervous. _Softly, then._

He pulled Seren to sit on the bed with him, and kissed him with more hunger, running a hand down his stomach, brushing 'accidentally' over his crotch as he moved to his slim thighs.

Seren felt himself opening up slightly under this new attention from Pax. Far from feeling awkward, it felt comfortable. It felt _right_.

It seemed he was naturally sensitive, as he found himself moaning softly with just the touch of Pax's hand. His arousal was surging by the time it reached his thigh, and he found the courage to touch the older man as well, sliding a hand gently up his side as they kissed. Seren wasn't sure yet, of course, but it seemed to him he would really rather follow someone else's lead when it came to intimacy. Pax would be more the sort to take charge, and he was entirely fine with that.

When Seren finally touched him, Pax smiled against his lips, pulling away to kiss his cheek as he pushed Seren's jacket from his shoulders, moving his attention to his neck. His tongue flicked out to taste Seren's skin _finally_, and he let out a soft sigh against his pale throat.

Tilting his head back, Seren was sighing as well. He hadn't known how good this could feel. Somehow he thought it wouldn't feel as good with anyone else.

Free of his jacket, he moved a little closer, reaching up to gently stroke purple hair while the other man's attention was on his neck. It was amazing to touch Pax like this. How had they waited so long? A thrill ran through him at how close they were. Even closer soon, if everything still went well...

Pax moved up to Seren's earlobe, nibbling at it as he reached one hand to deftly flick open the younger man's trousers, before pulling back only long enough to tear his own tank top off, exposing his lean chest and lightly toned stomach.

"Tell me how you like it, kitten. Talk dirty to me," he purred, his eyes dark with his arousal as he started pulling Seren's t-shirt up and off.

Seren smirked gently but shook his head. Pax had removed both of their shirts, and Seren's trousers were open... He didn't dare reach for Pax's. At least not yet. His nerves were currently still very high.

"Oh, I..." He was ruining the mood, now. "I've never done that before. Can you give me an example? Maybe... what you would like to do?" It wouldn't be much longer, and he would really have to tell the older man about his inexperience. Maybe he'd already waited too long. He was prepared to be embarrassed but wasn't sure yet what would happen beyond that.

Pax laughed, but there was no mocking in it at all. He eased Seren down, kissing him, then working down his jaw and chest, punctuating his words with kisses, "Oh, kitten. Let me tell you... I've been thinking about being inside you. Getting you hot underneath me, like when we were sparring. I could have pinned you down and fucked your brains out then and there. As it happens, I actually wanna take my time with you, and get you so fucking horny that you're shaking, and begging..."

Pax had no idea where this was all coming from, but he was nearly trembling as he imagined it.

Seren was, honestly, rather mesmerized. He leaned his head against Pax, just listening to those delicious _words_, enough to make him almost achingly hard by themselves.

"I... I wanted it then," he admitted. "But maybe you felt that. It could have been just a natural response or some shit, but the way you held me down, I just... I wanted more. I wanted you to keep me there, do anything you wanted to me." He licked his lips, swallowing against a dry throat.

Pax was saying he wanted to take his time. So this might be his chance, and it would work out. He traced feather-light fingertips up toward the other man's chest, taking another deep breath. "But what I said earlier... listen, I have to tell you something. It's kind of important."

"I felt it," Pax purred. "And it turned me on. Fuck, I jacked off in the shower right after, thinking about you so hard for me. Because that's what it was. _You wanted me to fuck you_, just like now."

Then Seren's fingers brushed his chest, and Pax shuddered with delight; his chest was incredibly sensitive, and it always got him going to be touched there. One particular partner one night had actually managed to bring him to orgasm with little else.

Despite that, he pulled back, watching Seren with a surprising amount of concern.

"...Sure." He sat back on his heels. "What is it?"

"I did the same plenty of times," he admitted, fighting embarrassment. Pax _wanted_ him. There was nothing to be ashamed of. "I did, and I do. So fucking badly..."

Seren wasn't so unobservant that he didn't notice Pax's reaction to having his chest even barely touched. It would be something he would make a note of for later. But the other man was suddenly very attentive to what he might have to say, and now Seren did feel incredibly, horribly awkward.

"See... when I said you might not enjoy it. It's because I have no clue what the fuck I'm doing." He sighed, exasperated by himself, having waited so long and only slowing down their intimacy. "I've never... y'know. I'm not experienced. I'm..." He sighed again, loud in his frustration. "Ugh, fuck. I'm a virgin. There."

It should have been such a simple thing to say. But not to Pax, who'd apparently slept with so many men even while Seren was living with him... He could feel how bright his face was and didn't look up to see what the reaction was.

"...Shit," Pax mumbled, taking it in. It certainly didn't kill his desire; experience varied from person to person, he knew that. Anyone who shamed their partner for too much or too little was an idiot, as far as Pax was concerned.

"Shit. Listen, kitten..." he said, moving to lie beside Seren, propped up on one elbow to stroke the younger man's hair, "A lack of experience doesn't make you bad. It doesn't mean I'm just gonna be... Bored, if that's what you think. Sex, for me, is about that person, and what they do differently. What _I_ can do for them."

He kissed Seren again, deeply, and added, "I want this. But I get it if you don't want your first time to be... This. With me. Say the word, and I stop. No more."

At first, Seren was somewhat worried by Pax's response. He relaxed as the older man explained, and nodded his head slowly.

He had the fleeting thought that Pax would move on after him to have more experiences with others. But there was no point in thinking about it now. 

"No, I want it," he quickly replied, without a doubt in his mind. "I know you'll just have to be a little more patient with me. I've gotten to know you so well, and... grown to want you. If I don't take this chance now, who knows if I will get one again."

With his consent given, Seren leaned up to Pax and initiated a much hungrier kiss of his own, daring to flick his tongue along the older man's lips. He found it was an addictive taste.

Pax was caught by surprise as Seren's lips covered his, deeply passionate and wholly arousing.

He pushed the smaller man back down, smoothly reaching for the bedside table, rummaging with one hand until he found the lube and condoms he kept there. Not yet, but soon.

He moved slowly, undoing Seren's trousers and pulling them off, giving him time to recover as he leaned back to remove his own, along with his underwear. If Seren had any lingering doubts, Pax's obvious erection would help dispel them.

Seren was hardly distracted as Pax reached toward the table. He knew what was going to happen, and was taking it one step at a time.

He allowed Pax to remove his trousers, watching while the older man removed the rest of his own clothes. Not wanting to seem too thirsty, but unable to help it, his gaze slid down to see that Pax was incredibly aroused. _He really does want me._

It wasn't as though he hadn't seen Pax naked before. Because he had, multiple times. But this time, it was different.

Seren didn't try removing his underwear yet, inching closer instead to push his own erection against the older man's through the cloth. He _was_ acting thirsty, but oh well. And it was his first time, he just wanted to feel... everything.

"_Fuck_," he whispered softly against Pax's neck, clutching at him without moving further.

"Mmm... You're really hungry for me, aren't you, kitten?" Pax purred, reaching down to cup him through his underwear, stroking lightly with his palm.

"Do you finger yourself?" he whispered softly, nipping Seren's ear again, "Have you ever? Just so I know how much I need to prep you. Don't worry, baby, I'm good. I'll always go slow for a newbie."

The only response Seren could give to this was a needy whimper. Pax was _touching him_, even if it wasn't directly yet, and it was all he could do not to buck against his palm.

"I... yeah. Yeah, I do," he answered just as softly, shivering. "I usually use a finger or two when I'm jerking off. Sometimes a plug, back when I was living on my own." He hadn't dared use one while living with Pax. Sadly he'd made sure he was rid of the few he owned before moving in. "I like to have something inside me. Nothing has quite been enough, so far." His face was hot, and he pressed it against the older man's collarbone in an attempt to calm down.

"Shhhh," Pax soothed, stroking Seren's hair gently, still stroking him through cotton. "Poor, needy kitten..."

He pulled the younger man's underwear down, trying to ease him onto his back once again.

"Do you want me to finger you?" he purred.

Pax's words were only igniting his desire. Of course, no one had ever talked to him like this, but the phrases the other man used just felt so satisfying.

He whimpered again to be fully exposed under Pax's gaze, squirming as he was laid back.

"Yes... oh fuck, yes..." It sounded so perfect, and Pax was right, he needed attention so desperately.

Pax smirked, grabbing the lube and coating two fingers on his left hand.

"Try and relax. I know you're gagging for it, but it'll be easier if you try and calm," he said huskily, starting to tease Seren's hole gently.

Seren took a deep breath, trying to be calm. But that was more difficult, with gentle lubed fingers pressing at his entrance...

He arched his back slightly, fingers curling into the blanket. It was one thing to touch himself, apparently, and another entirely when someone else was doing it.

"More, please..." he whimpered, desperate enough to beg nicely.

"No, no, baby, I'm not bragging, but I'm big, and you'll fucking feel it. You need to take your time. I wanna get you _ready_ for me," he whispered, easing his finger in and out slowly, curling it and stroking him, drawing his pleasure out.

Sighing, more than a little frustrated, Seren accepted this. "I know that, but it doesn't mean I don't _wish_ I could hurry."

He lay back, moaning and panting as Pax's finger did things to him that would just not be possible on his own. "It feels good," he whimpered, only able to slightly paw at the older man's arm. He was still in a partial state of disbelief that this could even be happening at all.

Pax very carefully, very slowly, pulled out enough to ease another finger in, gently parting them to open Seren up more.

"You're doing good, cutiepie," he whispered, his tone slightly shaky. He'd done the slow stuff before, he'd slept with virgins before, but this was different. It felt intimate, deeply so, and somehow that made it hotter. Seren's pretty face was flushing in a way that awoke something in Pax, making him want to be the only one to get that reaction. He wanted to be the only one who saw Seren like this.

"You feel good around my fingers," he whispered. "You'll feel even better when you're tight around my cock. Damn, I want to fuck you like this, so I can watch you come, but it's easier when it's your first time if you stick your fucking gorgeous little ass in the air for me..."

He'd never been so vocal. He loved dirty talk, but this was, again, different. He wanted to write whole damn paragraphs about what he wanted to do.

It was a struggle not to touch himself when Pax began to talk that way.

Already he was visualizing it in his head; kneeling, breathless, his ass pushed up for the older man to use. He'd had very specific fantasies about such scenarios before, just not with Pax.

"I want to know what it's like," he panted, closing his eyes and doing his best to talk in the same way. "What your cock feels like inside me. How wide it can stretch my hole, if I can take it all in..."

He had to stop, his words swallowed by more moans. "How much longer?"

The older man captured him in a passionate kiss, almost as though he wanted to taste those words, and he moaned into the kiss, "Not much longer when you talk like that, kitten."

He was certainly opening to him, eager and needy, and Pax was more than ready to take him.

"Roll over for me, Seren. And talk to me. Tell me everything that feels good, everything you want, how you want it. This is all for you," he purred, already sliding his fingers out to turn the young man over onto his front.

Seren whimpered pathetically at the loss of Pax's fingers but was more than eager to turn over if Pax wanted to begin.

He tried to position himself, but looked back worriedly. "I'm not sure... just move me however would be best," he said softly, touched by what Pax had said regardless. Now that it was actually time... "For now, just slow. Just wanna feel you."

Pax took time to unroll a condom over his erection, as well as applying more lube to both of them. Too much could be messy, but in this instance, he just wanted to make sure Seren was as comfortable as can be.

"Remember, nothing should hurt. If it hurts, I'm doing something wrong," Pax said as he positioned himself, the incredibly hard, warm head of his cock readied at Seren's entrance. He leaned in and added, "Unless you're into pain. Hm, even then, I still want you to tell me."

He moved slowly, taking it an inch at a time, allowing for adjustment periods, leaning down to kiss Seren's neck.

Seren had a few thoughts regarding pain; however, nothing he wanted to get into in specific at the time. Right now, it was all about pleasure.

He could feel the tip of Pax's cock against his hole, and there was another surge in his arousal. _We're really doing this_. When it pushed through the first resistance, ever so slowly, he made a small delighted sound, fingers clawing at the bed again. It was like easing a plug in, but it was bigger than any he had ever used. While he wished so much that he was stretched enough for Pax to take him immediately, he appreciated this slow adjustment at the time.

"It feels so good inside me," he rambled in a soft, breathy voice once it was nearly all the way in. "It's so big, so warm..."

"Just don't get too eager too quickly, kitten. You feel amazing," Pax gasped, kissing Seren's smooth back. He was nearly inside him completely, enveloped in heat, his own chest flushed with contained arousal.

As he continued to ease in, he reached around to stroke him lazily, to help any discomfort.

"I know... I know..." Seren panted. It would feel very different once Pax started moving more. Different from anything he had experienced so far. Naturally, he had no way to know, but he liked to already believe that he was going to enjoy it.

He was getting used to the stretched feeling, even if he had to struggle to remain more relaxed. Once Pax started stroking him, it helped immensely.

"That's good," he gasped, "It's helping..."

Pax lay soft kisses over Seren's shoulders as their hips met.

"Good, take your time, just enjoy it," he whispered against his skin, able to taste the light sheen of sweat that was beginning to coat Seren's back. "You feel incredible, kitten."

Seren could feel how hot he was, practically feverish. His fingers barely moved against the blanket, caressing it as he succumbed to the pleasant feelings. He was so full, so stretched, it was already exactly what he wanted.

Minutes passed as his breathing slowed, and he whimpered quietly. "I feel ready... for a little... please move," he begged in a slight whine.

'_Please_ move.'

Still stroking Seren languidly, Pax drew his hips back and started thrusting slow and deep, carefully, while trying to give him as much pleasure as possible. His other hand came around to his chest to flick his fingers over Seren's nipples, before moving back up and tangling in his hair, the grip loose but definite.

As soon as Pax began to move, Seren was whimpering and digging his fingers more firmly into the blankets. If there was any discomfort, it was very minor, not enough to make him speak up. The truth was he would accept a fair amount of pain along with pleasure, but this wasn't anything like pain.

"It feels good," he gasped. "Oh, fuck..." Pax was going deep, but slow, and the attention of both his hands made everything so much better. When he felt the older man grasp his hair, however, his moans became wilder.

"Pull harder," he whispered hoarsely, tilting his head into it.

Pax smiled wolfishly. The demand turned him on more than he could have thought, and he gladly obliged, tugging hard.

"A demanding virgin? How cute," he purred. 

_Fuck yes_.

"I'm... not cute," Seren gasped, whimpering loudly immediately after, when Pax pulled his hair harder. He _liked_ that.

"Afraid I'm gonna come soon," he groaned out. "It's too much... Feels so good..." He was trembling, purely overwhelmed by it all.

"Do it, kitten," the older man hissed, his hand in Seren's hair tightening. "Show me how good it is, and you'll make me come too."

With Seren so close, he dared to move a little faster, but his motions were still controlled.

"It is good... so good..." He tilted his head back, the tight grip on his hair driving him over the edge, for some reason. He never would have pictured this scene when he first met Pax, but now he wanted nothing else to have happened.

Pax was moving a bit faster, but Seren was now more focused on the hand stroking him, just enough to bring him to orgasm, suddenly gasping and breathless, his mind going blank with how _amazing_ it did feel.

Seren's muscles tightening, the noises he made, his grip on the younger man's hair, the fact that he was finally fucking Seren, and that it was so overwhelmingly good, all collided in Pax. He came hard, his hips jerking against Seren's involuntarily.

"F-fuck, fuck, sorry, fuck..." he hissed, moaning as he flopped against the smaller man.

It was obvious when Pax came, and Seren rode the last waves of his pleasure while feeling the older man in his own.

"What are you apologizing for?" Seren groaned, shifting himself as Pax pressed onto him. "Shit, that felt so great... I guess I always expected it wouldn't be that great the first time."

"Jerking so hard just then," Pax laughed, kissing Seren's neck and shoulder. "Don't wanna break you the first time."

He sighed deeply, moving just enough to pull out and remove the condom, throwing it in the direction of the bin and mercifully hitting it.

"Fuuuck. You were even better than I've been thinking about."

"Wasn't in a place where I noticed much," Seren chuckled weakly. "You're fine, don't be sorry."

Being empty again almost felt like a disappointment, but Seren flopped down on the bed without mentioning it. Besides, he probably needed to recover for now.

"And you treated me so well. Thanks..." He lay still, relaxing as well, but really unsure what was supposed to happen next.

Pax leaned up on one elbow, wiping his hand on his discarded boxers, then using them to clean Seren up too. They would need washing anyway, it wasn't a big deal, he thought.

"Don't thank someone for sex, you weirdo," Pax laughed, but very gently stroked hair away from Seren's face.

"You a cuddler? I cuddle a bit after if I can, but I like to check who I'm dealing with," he said. "One guy nearly snapped my wrist when I tried without checking. Aromantic, he finally fucking explained while I was wrapping my hand in an ice pack."

Seren smiled as Pax cleaned them both up a bit with his boxers, of all things, finding the gesture sweet. "What, I can't say thanks? I mean, you didn't have to. Considering we were both just arguing before all this happened."

He considered this, then nodded. "Well, I never had the opportunity, so... I dunno. But I'd like to think I am." He lay back, waiting for Pax to move closer. "Heh, I think he should have explained that beforehand." It made him feel a little awkward to hear about other people Pax had slept with. But that shouldn't matter. He was just another on the list... which he suddenly wished he hadn't thought about.

Pax smiled warmly. "Cool. It kinda makes it better, I think."

He shuffled down the bed and pulled Seren into his arms, nuzzling against his hair and sighing softly. It felt... Right. Seren curled against him like a missing puzzle piece that had finally been put into place.


	20. Part 20: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pax and Seren have a little extra fun after their first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to take a moment to thank my rp partner for working on this with me. The story and characters are really special to me, and this is probably one of my favorite things ever. Thanks so much, bb. <3
> 
> And I hope everyone who reads is enjoying it! Pax and Seren kind of just have sex a lot for a while. :p

It surprised him how good it felt when Pax held him. It had never crossed his mind, not in the slightest. And he wouldn't have thought the older man would enjoy _cuddling_, in the first place. He huddled close, enjoying the warmth, certain he could feel Pax's heartbeat through his warm chest.

"So have you ever been to this shipyard?" he asked softly, after a little while. It might have been a bad choice to ask this now, but at the same time, he thought it might be better to return to reality.

_Oh. That._

Pax cleared his throat softly, shifting comfortably in the pile of blankets, against Seren's slim, warm little form.

"No. Uh... Not this one. But I'll help you find a great ship, and haggle for it," he said, his tone kind of flat.

"Oh... alright. And yeah, you'd be much better at that than me. I'm a bit lost on that stuff. I had someone else purchase the Black Diamond for me."

Pax didn't sound too enthused. Had the effects of their intimacy worn off so soon? "We have two more whole days until we get there? So we'll have to think of stuff to do while we wait." Originally he had expected to stay away from the older man during this time, but now he wanted to hang around him. Make this last as long as he possibly could.

It seemed Pax misread the statement, or willingly misread it, as he kissed Seren's neck with a soft sigh, his tone taking on a much more content, flirtatious air as he muttered against his skin, "Oh, I can think of plenty for us to do, kitten. But they involve being here..."

"Here? As in, bed?" Seren asked, only confused for a split second. But Pax's tone, his continued kisses...

"If you want to," he said softly. He'd be damned if he was going to turn down something that _good_ again. "But weren't you the one who told me it got boring after the first or second time you sleep with someone?"

"Not when they're new to it," Pax purred, his hands already sliding down Seren's body, "There's so many delicious things I can show you, that feel so good..."

...Well, damn, if he wasn't getting hard again already.

"O-oh," Seren stammered, squirming against the older man's touch. As well as kind of getting turned on again, apparently. "Well, as long as you don't get bored, I guess..."

He bit his lip, pressing his face against Pax's neck again. "Guess it's a good thing I was a virgin, then." _Was_ a virgin. He had to smirk to himself about that.

"You shouldn't get hung up on what I said," Pax shrugged, stroking Seren's smooth, slender thighs, "Just enjoy what I _do_."

"Heh, I dunno." They wouldn't be together long enough for Pax to get bored, Seren thought.

He shivered as Pax traced up his thighs. "Are you suggesting you want to do something else already?" he chuckled weakly.

"Nooo, but..." Pax lightly ran his tongue over Seren's skin, "I bet we could soon if you wanna. But we have time, kitten. Enjoy the feeling of having been fucked for the first time."

After a moment, he hummed in thought, "Actually... can I ask you something?"

"Well, maybe." The idea definitely had appeal.

He smirked, closing his eyes against the sensation of Pax's tongue. The older man was right; this was a highly enjoyable feeling. Not even realizing, he found he'd put an arm loosely around Pax's waist. "Oh yeah? Sure."

"How's it that a smart, cute, savvy, hot little thing like you hasn't been fucked by all and sundry?" Pax said. "You could have anyone. And everyone."

"You make me sound like a real catch," Seren said dryly. "I guess you could say there's been some who seemed interested. But I wasn't interested in them. Otherwise, like..."

He sighed, keeping his face hidden against the other man. "I guess my temper puts others off. Sometimes, anyway. It's not like I even get mad all the time. But I was generally always in a terrible mood until I left the colony." He traced a finger along one of Pax's arm tattoos that he could see from this angle, wanting to know why he hadn't been put off too, but not wanting to ask.

Pax sighed, nodding.

"Yeah? I guess I could see that. But... like, I mean it. I do think you're smart, and cute and shit like that. Whatever, maybe you don't agree, but I think of us as friends. Your temper sucks, sure, but... that's not everything about you, and you can't help it," he said gently.

Truthfully, he liked Seren's fire. It was raw, untamed, and something about that was almost a _challenge_.

"Thanks," Seren chuckled. "Well... yeah, sure. We're friends." He owed Pax that admission, at least.

"You're right, it's not everything about me. I can understand why they wouldn't like it, still. Problem is, I figure I _should_ be able to help it. I get angry about stupid stuff. Computer issues, whatever else I'm invested in that day. I dunno. No one really knew what to do with me, I guess."

He cuddled even closer, not willing to admit that he liked the way _Pax_ had handled his temper. At least not yet.

"Heh, well... fuck 'em. If they don't like how you handle things, if they can't handle you, that's their fucking problem," Pax said uncertainly. He wanted to tell Seren he knew how to help, he felt something between them in a very different situation, that he'd... almost enjoyed wrangling his temper to a cooling point with him.

"Yeah," Seren agreed quietly, hoping that was true. Pax had yet to back down in the face of his anger, had yet to fail at handling him. It was nice to know someone like that existed, even if they wouldn't be together much longer.

As if to combat the thought, Seren leaned up and shyly kissed Pax's lips. "I'm open to you showing me something else right now, I think," he offered softly. A thrill had run through his body, a very pleasant one, when he had remembered they were still naked in bed together.

Without missing a beat, Pax deepened the kiss, rolling Seren onto his back and kneeling between his legs. He grabbed his wrists, his grip loose, and pushed them into the mattress.

"Mmm... but what? I have option A, or B. Pick one," he said with a smirk.

Seren was instantly, _obviously_ more aroused when Pax moved him physically and held his wrists down.

He moaned softly. "Oh, fuck. Uhh... B?" he suggested, watching the other man through the sudden hazy desire in his eyes.

"Option B is me eating your ass," Pax purred, "Good choice. But tell me now if you don't like the sound of it."

Seren's mouth dropped open for a moment, silently. He liked the _sound_ of it, but...

"Heh, well. I think I need to know what option A is. Though I think I do know. Maybe I'll go with that instead... but just for now." He was actually feeling just a little too shy for B as of yet.

"I suck your cock," Pax said simply, smirking. "Were you right?"

"Yeah..." Seren whispered hoarsely. "Yeah, I was. You sure...?" He wanted it, he wanted Pax's mouth on him. His cock had already stirred halfway to life again as if to prove it.

"I wanna make you feel good, baby," Pax whispered, leaning down to kiss Seren's chest, still leaning on his arms.

"You already did... you will again." Seren almost didn't want Pax to let his arms up, though he supposed he would have to eventually. He arched his hips up a little, as though his body was begging for it.

Pax trailed his hands down Seren's arms, to his sides, then his hips, pinning him down there instead before he leaned down and started kissing at Seren's thighs, then his stomach, avoiding the part that desired the most attention, at least for the moment.

This attention was just making him harder and harder. Pax's mouth everywhere, trailing soft kisses, with Seren knowing where he would eventually end up...

He whined softly anyway, wriggling against the hold on his hips.

Eventually, Pax drew his tongue up along Seren's length before kissing back down it. He kept his gaze on the younger man before finally, slowly, taking him in his mouth.

Pax was continuing to look up at him, but even more importantly, there was the _amazing_ sensation of his warm, wet tongue, his lips.... then the inside of his mouth. It was almost unbelievable.

"Pax," he moaned quietly. "Ahh, _fuck_."

Pax closed his eyes, teasing Seren with his tongue, his lips sliding up and down him as he brought one hand between Seren's legs, stroking his most sensitive areas.

Seren was clutching at the bed again, though this time from a different position. Pax's attention was making him squirm and thrust his hips up slightly on occasion as he whined softly with pleasure.

"Don't stop," he moaned. He usually wouldn't care to orgasm again so soon after the last time, but the older man was driving him wild with lust.

Pax continued, taking Seren completely into his mouth, holding his gaze as much as he could from the position he was in. The younger man looked wonderful, coming undone all over again.

When he could no longer remain looking down, Seren tilted his head back desperately, his whimpers turning louder.

"I'm gonna come... I can use my hand? You don't have to... y'know..." he panted, unsure what Pax had been planning to do.

Pax didn't move, narrowing his eyes in a way that screamed _I want you to_. He did. He wanted to taste Seren's pleasure, stroking his perineum with two fingers, eager for him to come again, _all for him_.

When the other man didn't move, Seren watched him, seeming to know it was alright. He was surprised, but so turned on.

The addition of his fingers stroking was too much. Seren arched his back, his orgasm shockingly almost as intense as the first time.

He was prepared, and held Seren by the hips to steady him, taking it all, until he finally wound down, and Pax moved up his body, kissing his chest and neck.

"Told you I'd give you something good, kitten," he grinned.

When Seren could _think_ again, he was aware of Pax's kisses up his body, feeling himself relax.

"Not that I doubted you," he groaned out, rubbing at his sweaty forehead. "Fuck. That was better than good. It was _great_." He eyed the other man, a little shy now. "I hope it was really alright, though. I'd like to do the same for you, if you were interested. But maybe later on. I'm so tired, swear I'm about to just fall asleep." He felt incredibly drained, and he probably literally was. "Would you mind if I took a nap..."

The older man laughed, shaking his head, "I should take a shower anyway. Unless you want me to stay and cuddle you or something?"

"Nah, go ahead." A shower sounded good. But he would have to do that right after sleep. If anything, Pax knew the way he was with naps and _needing_ to get all of his sleep, or suffering for it.

"See you later," he mumbled, eyes already half-closed as he watched Pax getting ready to leave. He wanted to think about the amazing time he'd just had, but he was beyond exhausted now, easily slipping into a deep sleep.


	21. Part 21: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two hours to kill before reaching the shipyard, there's _obviously_ nothing better for them to do.

As if to add to the vast confusion Pax was experiencing over their situation, the few days they spent on the ship together were remarkable in how blissful they were. Fairly relaxed (save for what he had come to believe was fond bickering), he and Seren had shared the bed. It was unspoken, but neither of them protested when it happened. It felt surprisingly... Correct. They seemed to slot together well, and space didn't seem to be an issue in the slightest.

All too soon, however, the navicomputer bleeped its alarm, and Pax hauled himself into the cockpit, examining the readings.

"Coming up on our shipyard, kitten," he said quietly. "About two hours now..."

"Hm?" Seren replied, looking up from his padd. He'd been doing some reading to keep up with his work, and had lost track of time. Beyond doing work, however, he had spent a remarkable amount of time keeping close to Pax. Much more than he'd expected he would during this trip. It could have to do with the sex, but he wasn't even sure. And he was confused more than anything.

"Oh... right. The shipyard." The padd slipped a little as he lost his attention on it. "So how do these things work? Do you just walk in and look around? Do they have salesmen trying to make you buy a ship or shit like that?" He was trying not to think too hard about what was going to happen. He would just have to choose a good ship on Pax's recommendation and be done with it. No matter how depressing it felt just then.

Pax leaned back in the pilot seat, rubbing his forehead. He didn't want to part ways like this, not now. He wasn't sure what exactly they were doing, whether Seren just wanted sex and was done with him (which he couldn't resent, given how often he had done the same), or whether perhaps they were entering into some sort of friends-with-benefits situation.

But Seren was relying on Pax's model knowledge. Maybe there would be a way to make Seren think twice about the expense and the parting of ways.

"If we're smart, we can avoid a salesman," Pax said with a weak attempt at a smirk.

"Cool," Seren replied, managing a smile. "I'd rather hear your opinion over a salesman's. They'd probably try to sell me the most expensive ship there."

Awkwardly, he stood up, still clutching his padd. "Well, I... Maybe I should just go do some work until we get there? Unless you need me for something." He didn't really know what to do. It wasn't like they were saying goodbye at the shipyard, but there was just a terrible feeling of finality to it.

Pax took Seren's wrist and pulled him down into his lap, decidedly careful and oddly gentle.

"We have two hours," he smirked, but it was forced. Anything to feel close to Seren again. He needed it, and he hated that he did. Pressing his palm to Seren's lower back, he whispered, "You still wanna work?

Seren was surprised when Pax pulled him onto his lap, shifting a little and setting his padd on the console so it would be safe for the moment.

"Yeah, we do," he agreed, his face flushing. "And I... no. Well, not necessarily." He wasn't sure this was a good idea so soon before looking at ships. Would this make it even worse?

Pax's hand touching him was not something he could resist at the moment, apparently. That decided it for him. "What do you have in mind?" he whispered back, putting his arms around the larger man and feeling his heart begin to race from just this simple action.

"Well... You wanna go back to bed and ride me?" Pax said boldly.

It was all he could do. For all he loved having sex with people for the experience, it also helped him forget his feelings, his confusion and loneliness. Even for a few minutes, half an hour, two hours. _Anything of him is better than nothing._

It was obvious that Seren had certainly never expected this suggestion.

"I, uh... Maybe? I mean, I could, if you think I can, anyway," he rambled, his blush deepening. "You might have to talk me through it a little."

Actually, he really wanted to. All inexperience aside, he _wanted_ to feel more of Pax inside him. Not anyone else... just Pax. Which was likely to be a problem, considering they might not be together all that much longer.

"If you don't fancy it, cutiepie, just say," the older man purred, running his tongue up Seren's neck. "I'm sure your padd is _muuuch_ more interesting..."

He moved a hand to Seren's thigh, nearly tentative in his movements, careful not to make him feel pressured.

"No, I... I do," Seren replied, a shiver running through him at the sensation of Pax's tongue. "It'll just be new to me again."

"No," he muttered. "You're more interesting." He placed his hand on Pax's, encouraging him to keep touching, sliding it up further. He couldn't resist, couldn't hold back... even though he should.

Pax stood, gripping Seren under his pert little ass (squeezing it roughly, for security, of course) and made for the door, rather than the hatch, leading him to the bedroom expertly while starting to kiss him passionately, hot and heavy.

Seren moaned into the kiss, his passion seemingly ignited further with the way Pax roughly squeezed him. Anything that hurt even just a little, he seemed to love, to crave more, as strange as that seemed to him at times.

"I hope you'll like it," he said, his voice soft and strained as they finally broke apart. Pax had brought him into the bedroom, and he already felt so hard, so eager to please the older man.

"Oh, kitten," Pax smirked, "I always like fucking pretty little things like you. _You_ are especially delicious though."

He kissed Seren's neck, letting his teeth graze lightly against the smooth flesh. "I can't wait to see you on top of me with my cock deep inside you."

He did consider changing that, however. Seren was still new to penetration, and Pax didn't want him to get hurt if he got too eager.

The mention of others put Seren off for a moment. He had to remind himself, again, that he was just another in a line for Pax. He did plan to enjoy himself while he could, however.

"I am? Bet you say that to everyone," he murmured, leaning into the kiss against his neck, the slight nip of the other man's teeth even more exciting. "I want to do it, but I need to get really worked up first, I think."

He crawled up onto the bed when Pax released him, laying back and looking at him. "Could you... bite me? Nothing that would show outside my clothes. But I'm curious to see if I like it. I think I would." He felt shy, sad, and horny all at once; a strange combination.

No. No, he didn't actually. Pax was the sort of person who regularly said what he thought others wanted to hear, what he knew would get him the most favorable results, but Seren... he was not a person he could recall doing that to.

Of course, he couldn't say that.

The request gave him pause, his cock twitching at the idea of biting Seren, that he _wanted_ that. He held the younger man's gaze, stroking his cheek with a small smirk. "If that's what you want, kitten."

"I do want it," Seren breathed, with a soft moan that showed just how much. He looked into Pax's eyes another moment, then quickly began to wriggle out of his trousers, tossing them off the side of the bed, leaving his underwear on for the moment.

"Maybe here," he whispered, stroking up the inside of his own pale thighs. "It wouldn't show, and I... fuck. I want to know what it feels like. So fucking bad." His voice was trembling with the intensity of this desire. Maybe he would try to explain that to Pax soon. Or at least sometime before they parted.

_Fuck, yes._

The surprise that Seren would ask in the first place, then that he would ask for Pax's teeth _there_, where it would be sensitive and bruise... It turned him on immensely. Pax leaned down and kissed his pale thighs softly, teasing with a graze of his teeth before biting down, hard enough to bruise. Fuck it, if it was too far, he would make it up to him, he'd apologize, he'd do whatever he could, but it felt so good to bite him, to _mark_ his thigh.

To soothe the sting, he kissed the teeth marks softly, looking up to check on Seren.

Seren had remained still, absolutely motionless, knowing it would be worse if he moved at the wrong moment. He kept his head tilted back, his eyes closed, not wanting to know when to expect it.

The contrast of soft kisses, a slight scrape of teeth, and then a hard bite almost shocked him with how _good_ it was. He gasped, writhing as soon as Pax kissed him again in that spot, knowing he could move and being unable to stop himself then. It hurt, of course it did, but in such a strangely and amazingly good way.

"More," he whimpered, noticing that Pax had looked up. "Feels so good. It's so fucking good. I'll tell you when I think it's enough..."

Pax was torn as to whether he wanted to go with it, or whether he wanted to make sure Seren was alright.

In the end, he decided the younger man was mature enough to make his own choice, and he clamped his teeth down on the other thigh, deeper this time, while reaching between Seren's legs to tease his hole, but only lightly until he could grab the lube.

"_Ahh_," Seren gasped loudly, finding the second bite had hurt even more. He was panting, writhing with the pain that was somehow also so pleasurable.

"I think that's enough for now," he panted, trying to wriggle against Pax's fingers. He didn't want to get overwhelmed, and even with just two bites, they were going to be pretty sore for a while. "But I love it. Lube...?" he suggested, craving the feeling of the other man's fingers more, as well as his cock.

Pax moved up his body to capture him in a rough, passionate kiss while smoothly grabbing the lube from the side drawer, slicking his fingers before returning his attention to the younger man's hole, teasing it slowly.

Seren was very quickly lost in the wonderful sensations Pax was able to produce in him using only his fingers. He squirmed, looking down at the older man and able to see the teeth marks on his legs as well, exciting him even more. He wondered how deep it would bruise...

"More," he breathed. "I want to be opened up enough to try riding you." He felt partially in a daze, once again having a hard time believing that this was really happening to him.

Pax's breath hitched a little at the filth coming from Seren's mouth, and he smirked, carefully sliding his fingers in, deeply yet gently, flexing them to gradually loosen Seren's tight hole. He could feel the younger man opening up to him, slowly but certainly.

"Take it steady, kitten," he purred, "You gotta be _very_ ready for that. And you gotta tell me if it doesn't work, and I'll just throw you face down."

"I understand," Seren moaned, taking deep breaths as Pax's fingers pushed inside and gradually moved apart, loosening him little by little. Even just this felt _incredible_.

"Damn," he muttered, arching his hips up against the sensation. "I could come just like this, your fingers fucking me deep... it's so much better than anything I've tried to use on myself. Your cock is even better. It feels so good inside, so big and hard and hot." His face flushed, and he watched Pax through half-closed eyes. He was getting used to this dirty talk already, he thought. And it seemed to excite the other man, the way it excited Seren just to be watching him now.

It was too bad Pax would only be interested until Seren had his own ship again. He didn't know what he wanted for himself, exactly. But he wanted more of _this_ indefinitely, as unlikely as that seemed possible.

Pax was visibly aroused by Seren's words, not only his body responding, but he felt like his entire _being_ was responding. And it was overwhelming, like everything he didn't know he wanted, but now needed like oxygen.

"You ready, kitten? Are you gonna mount me and ride me like a pro?" he purred.

"Heh, maybe not like a pro," Seren chuckled. "I'll just... I'll try. I want you to watch me sit on your cock. Even if I don't make it any further." It seemed he liked being looked at, he liked Pax seeing his naked body. Especially when they were doing something so hot.

He waited for the older man to pull his fingers out and lay down, feeling just a touch of nervousness now, but trying to keep relaxed.

"Don't fret, kitten," Pax said as he eagerly lay back, gladly tugging his trousers off to expose his erection. He stretched out and folded his arms behind his head with a smirk that was all lust.

"Use as much lube as you need, cutiepie, and take your time. The sight alone is enough. Fuck, the thought, even..."

Seren hungrily stared at Pax's erection, still a little surprised that _he_ could have such an effect on the other man. He didn't reach for the lube yet, however.

"First, I..." He crawled closer, unable to resist. It seemed Pax didn't need help staying hard, but Seren's urge was too strong. He leaned in, taking the other man's cock in his hand, then slowly slipped it into his mouth, eyes up on Pax's face.

The older man immediately smirked, his eyes lidded and lustful.

"Oh, I see," he moaned softly, arching his hips up gently, without forcing himself deeper. "Careful, kitten, gagging is real," he chuckled, weak with arousal.

Of course, Seren couldn't answer, but he had every intention of being careful. He didn't draw Pax's cock in any deeper than he could handle, wanting to save it for his hole, but he did his best to imitate what the older man had done to him before.

He moved slow, only aiming to tease somewhat, licking more than sucking. But he couldn't wait too long or risk losing any of the progress Pax had made while stretching him. He released the other man's erection, reaching for the lube and condom that had been set to the side. He pretended to be confident about putting the condom over Pax, but faltered.

"Hey, uh... sorry. Help me?" he asked sheepishly.

Pax sat up, catching Seren in a sloppy, horny kiss. "Sure thing, cutiepie. Here-"

He wrapped his fingers around Seren's, moving his hands for him, "You gotta pinch the tip, here, and roll."

There was something arousing about showing him how to do it, a reminder that Pax was his _first_.

Pax's kiss, his large fingers around Seren's, guiding him as he slid the condom on... He was so aroused that he thought he could have come right then if he'd just touched himself.

"Thanks." He made a note of this method, leaning forward to kiss Pax again, this time somewhat shyly. As the older man settled against the bed again, Seren moved to straddle him, kneeling with Pax's cock behind him at first. When he shifted back a little more, he could feel it, pressing hard and hot against the soft flesh of his ass.

"Oh... _fuck_," he whimpered, needing a moment to enjoy this sensation first. His own erection was throbbing, and he needed Pax inside him, but he spent a little longer taking pleasure in simply being viewed this way.

Pax purred at the contact, making sure Seren could see in his face how much he was enjoying it, how much he was anticipating what was coming.

He lay back and watched as the younger man straddled him, and then he could feel Seren about to move down onto him. His big hands found Seren's thighs, squeezing them as he licked his lips.

"You look fucking amazing like this, kitten," he said, a wolfish smile on his face.

It encouraged Seren to be able to see how much Pax seemed to want him, to want this to happen. There was no reason why he _shouldn't_, but Seren was still new to this, and very unsure of himself.

He hummed softly at Pax's compliment, but was focusing on lifting himself up into position. The larger man's hands were on his thighs now, a further encouragement. Slowly he began to settle himself down, biting his lip as the head of Pax's cock easily slid into his hole.

For just a moment he stopped, feeling such a rush of arousal that he moaned sharply. He began to lower himself even more, but slowly, taking his time as he was stretched again. When it was nearly all buried inside him, he did stop to adjust further, eyeing Pax lustfully.

The slow motion of Seren easing himself down was unbelievably arousing, and Pax visibly needed to fight the urge to buck up into him, his grip tightening on Seren's thighs.

"Shit-" he moaned. It wasn't as if he'd never been in this position (he would be the first person to brag about how many fine asses had bounced off of him), but Seren was tight, deliciously so, and he was so _petite_ next to Pax, that it drove him wild. That was new, as well. He liked all sorts of body types, and had bedded no end of slender, shorter guys; but he had never focused on it, on how easy and fun it would be to throw him around or shove him against a wall, easily supporting him with his hips, fucking him in every position until he was a mess of ecstasy.

He ran his hands up the younger man's sides, grazing lightly with his nails, and brought both thumbs to play with his nipples.

Pax was obviously enjoying what Seren was doing, and he hadn't even moved too much yet. This gave more him more confidence, and he continued to watch the other man as he adjusted, moaning when his nipples were lightly pinched.

For a few more moments, he enjoyed the feeling of simply being full, and of feeling small atop Pax. He'd always fantasized about taller guys, guys with a pronounced size difference to himself, and specifically being dominated by them. He hadn't shared that yet with Pax, of course. Not that there was really any need to...

He'd applied plenty of lube. Movement shouldn't be that difficult, he thought. But it was a different sensation than he was used to, a different motion and way of holding himself. So when he slowly lifted himself back up to slide down again, he found it harder to do than he'd hoped.

"Fuck, sorry, I'm slow," he rambled, just continuing as best he could. He knew Pax would understand, and there was no need to apologize. But he wanted to go _faster_, to make the older man feel good. It would come with time and practice... but he supposed he wouldn't be able to have either.

The feeling of such a slow movement over his flesh was almost better than if Seren was fucking him vigorously, and Pax shook his head. "No, fuck, don't-... It feels good, pet, fucking keep going, take your time..."

His hands returned to Seren's thighs, stroking and squeezing as he growled with arousal, the restraint he needed to maintain acting almost as a dam, keeping him from climax but in a way he was loving.

"O-okay," Seren panted, continuing to slowly rock himself up and down on top of Pax. The older man was enjoying it. He was actually doing well, somehow, and it all felt amazing.

He did find, however, that he was getting used to the motion. With a bit more effort, he had sped up without even meaning to, his thirst for more overwhelming him. "Don't think I can go any faster than this," he huffed between heavy breaths, pushing himself down onto Pax's cock again. "S-so if you want to come, I think you may have to get on top." He was less disappointed about this than he thought he would be. He'd done well, and Pax seemed pleased, and everything felt so _fucking_ good.

"Keep going," Pax panted. "Speed isn't the only thing that gets you off, it's rhythm, so just... Just keep going, kitten, it's good."

He arched his back into the feeling, closing his eyes.

Seren was incredibly pleased with what Pax said next. He never would have imagined he was doing so well, but the older man wanted more.

He kept his slow pace, though he was able to speed up a little on occasion, getting into the rhythm of the motion. "It feels fucking incredible," he muttered, unable to help reaching for his own erection and trying to clumsily stroke it as he moved. That was a bit more difficult than he'd thought.

Pax gently moved Seren's hand away from his cock, watching him with lustful eyes, "No, let me. I wanna touch you, I wanna see you come like this; firmly impaled on my cock and _loving_ it."

He started to stroke Seren, keeping the same pace as the movement of his hips.

"I do love it," Seren moaned loudly, resuming his movement better now that his hands were free. And Pax was stroking him in perfect rhythm...

"Oh, _fuck_," he whimpered just moments later, lifting himself back up and then down again. "I'm gonna come so soon. I can't... I can't hold on... is that alright?" He wasn't sure why he was asking permission, but for some reason, it made his arousal surge even higher.

_Fucking hell._

Seren asked. He asked so beautifully, too. Pax grunted with unbridled arousal.

"Yes. You can. Do it, show me how fucking horny you are for me," he gasped, rubbing his thumb over the sensitive head of his cock. "And I'll come inside you. You want it, don't you?"

"I... ahh-"

Whatever Seren was going to say was swallowed as he abruptly came hard, his eyes all but rolling back as he could feel his cock emptying onto Pax's chest and stomach, his body so hot that he was sure the fluid must be hot as well.

"Oh fuck, _fuck_," he repeated once he had eased back from it slightly, resuming his movements atop Pax. "Come inside me, I want it so bad-"

"I can tell-" Pax gasped, gripping Seren's hips to still them and bucking as carefully as he could into him until he tensed and groaned, his own climax hard and intense, and he flopped back against the mattress, his eyes slightly unfocused as he was lost in his pleasure.

"Fuck... You okay? I didn't hurt you just then?"

Seren froze as soon as he realized Pax wanted him to hold still, moaning and gasping even more when the other man thrust up until he came inside him. He watched with an odd sense of accomplishment, even if he hadn't done much, loving to see someone actually taking pleasure from his body.

"No... no," he panted, though it had maybe hurt a _little_. But it was the bearable sort of pain, one that he didn't mind, and thought he even wanted more of. "It was good, I loved it. But I need to lay down."

Slowly and carefully, he pulled himself off Pax and flopped onto the bed, trying to calm himself. His legs had felt wobbly from the effort, and also from coming so hard.

"Shhh, kitten, I've got you," Pax chuckled, moving to help the trembling younger man down onto the bed. As he rolled to face him, he carefully and smoothly removed the condom, chucking it in the direction of the bin.

He pulled Seren into his arms again and sighed loudly, "Fuck. You really mean when you said you hadn't done this before? Your dirty talk is fucking hot."

Dazed, Seren clung to Pax, nuzzling his face into the larger man's neck. "No, I really haven't. I mean, I've definitely _thought_ about certain things. Maybe it comes from that."

For long moments he kept silent, still clinging to Pax as though trying to draw some additional strength. "It was amazing," he finally said, quietly. "But I guess it's maybe been an hour? Maybe you should think about getting ready to land."

Seren didn't want to think about it. He wanted to stay here, in Pax's arms, indefinitely. But he knew that was impossible.

"Yeah, I'll go and make arrangements, but I've got us on course for orbit unless the computer is told otherwise, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem," Pax explained, though he was slipping away from Seren with a decidedly disappointed sigh. The smaller man was quite nice to cuddle up to.

He pulled his underwear on and shuffled up to the cockpit, lazily toying with the controls as his stomach cramped up at the realization that Seren would soon be gone.

"Oh, that's cool... I didn't realize," Seren mumbled, watching Pax put on his underwear and leave anyway.

For a minute, he flopped backward on the bed, staring at the ceiling sadly. He wished he'd just kept quiet, they could still be snuggling now. But since there was no use in regretting it, he got up and headed for the bathroom.

He fiddled with the controls for the shower and managed to get a nice spray that was reasonably warm. As he stepped in and reached for the soap, figuring he would just get clean before they arrived at the shipyard, he found himself hesitating, distracted. He was still thinking about Pax beneath him, buried deep inside, thrusting up into him, his ecstatic release... The older man's lips on his, his warm arms around him, making him feel small and oddly safe...

Lost in wistful thoughts, the shower wasn't going as quickly as he planned.


	22. Part 22: [Sales Shipyard]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the shipyard, an important decision is made.

Pax made an unnecessarily slow descent towards the barriers of the shipyard station, taking his headset and sullenly manning the controls once more. Normally he loved this part, any more active piloting thrilled him, but this felt so _final_.

"Shrapnel Bay, this is Azara of the Siren Song, requesting flight paths for landing. I guess," he mumbled into his mic as the greyish cloud that was the shield of the station. A port opened up, and Pax was commed to begin his docking.

"Seren, I'm taking her down now..." he called finally.

Fortunately, by this time Seren was out of the shower and fully dressed. He'd thought about looking at his padd, but ultimately that hadn't interested him in the slightest. Instead, he'd sat himself down on the edge of the bed, his mind strangely blank.

When Pax called, he got up and made his way to the cockpit, automatically taking his seat and strapping in, grabbing the helmet with its headset and putting it on.

"Okay, I'm... um, I'm ready." He didn't sound ready. He didn't _feel_ ready. But what else was he supposed to do?

"Okay, I'm taking her down, then," Pax said, offering a weak smile.

The descent was as smooth as ever, but without any of Pax's usual flare. He was quietly competent and brought them down to a large landing pad in a broad, sprawling shipyard. It was packed with beautiful, shiny models, and some well maintained secondhand ships. Ordinarily, Pax would have been utterly delighted to browse through them all, comparing them and rambling about the different pros and cons, but instead, he felt no excitement to go out and show Seren.

He wanted the younger man with him. On the Siren. This was _wrong_.

Their landing was much quieter and more reserved than the takeoff had been. Seren would have found this odd, but he was too distracted by his own thoughts to really pay it much mind.

Pax went through all the necessary procedures, and soon enough they'd left the Siren and were faced with a wide array of beautiful ships. He was certainly at least in a little bit of awe, realizing that without Pax, he really would have been clueless about what to choose.

"Wow. So, where do we start? There's so much to look at," Seren said, trying some false cheer.

"Let's just have a walk around and chat," Pax said, shoving his hands in his pockets as he led Seren out. "How big do you want it to be? Any... Specifics?"

"Okay," Seren agreed, more awkwardly this time. "Um, not really. Something a bit smaller than the Black Diamond was. Not as small as the Siren Song, but... you know. I didn't know what I was getting into with the Diamond, and it was probably needlessly big for me." He'd never had many specific problems flying the ship, but that was mostly because the tech was so advanced that much of it had been automated. "It cuts down on expense, too."

He folded his arms as he walked, as though to comfort himself. He actually didn't _want_ his own ship at all. "So smaller, still easy to fly, on the cheaper side... Dunno how much that gives you to work with."

Pax chewed his lip, and even though it made him feel a bit nauseous, put his arm around Seren. It felt so natural after so long, and even more so after their intimacy.

"Hm... Well, you could go with a V8 cruiser class, but they're for _kids_. A real man, a grown-up, doesn't ever go for a V8 in a cruiser class, but they are kind of what you're after. I think you'd do well with an Excelsior T-Wing or something, with the high cockpit, but they're hard to come by in your price range," he said carefully. If he could distract Seren, make him reconsider, then he might stay...

"Oh... really?" Seren felt a bit crestfallen. Maybe he'd just made himself look silly in front of Pax. Which shouldn't bother him, but...

The older man's arm around him felt comforting, but also sad. As much as Seren wished Pax hadn't done so, he thought he might have felt worse if he hadn't. "Well, I'm not a kid, so. Let's find one of these T-Wings then. How much more expensive are we talking? If they allow for just a downpayment, I'm sure I could get the rest in time." He kind of hoped they didn't allow for that. And that he couldn't get a ship at all. They'd have wasted a trip, but maybe he wouldn't have to leave Pax yet. Even if he knew it would be better to just have it over with as quickly as possible.

"They go for upwards of five hundred thousand UCs, but they're a fucking good investment," Pax said carefully. He knew Seren wouldn't afford something like that. "But why don't you pick one you like the look of, and I'll give you the run down, hm? All the pros and cons?"

Mostly the cons. Maybe he'd stay longer...

"Um, wow," Seren replied, chuckling in an attempt to play down his reaction to what Pax had told him. It really was a lot of money. He didn't suppose he could afford the initial downpayment for it.

"Okay then," he said uncertainly, walking forward as Pax kept up with him, arm still around his shoulders. They passed a lot of ships, but Seren declined to say anything about them, until he knew he had stalled enough.

"I guess this one looks good." He'd stopped at a decently sized ship that was plainly labeled as an Excelsior T-Wing according to the display in front of it. What had attracted him to it was the fact it was a metallic shade of blue quite similar to the comm Pax had bought him not too long after they'd met. That actually felt like such a long time ago, but it had been close to a year. "What would you tell me about it? I'm glad you're so knowledgeable about ships. It's never been a strong interest of mine."

"Okay, this is a good choice," Pax said, but his tone suggested there was a lot of 'but's in that sentence. "It's fast, and efficient with the fuel, but it's also got the worst hyperdrive specs I've come across in this class of ship. Also, the fail-safes that are built into this particular model have a-... Hmmmforty percent chance of failing after two years. No, thirty percent."

He waited, but then quickly babbled, "They're used to smuggle a lot of contraband. You'd be mistaken for a criminal a lot. But it has good seats...?"

Pax's tone put Seren into caution immediately. Then he had started listing the problems.

"Oh. Shit." He ran a hand through his hair messily, frowning. If he was going to carry on with his hacking, as he planned to, then he couldn't be getting repeatedly looked into by enforcers. "You'd think the odds would be a little better than that, don't you?" he asked weakly.

Seren immediately started walking again, almost blindly pointing at the next ship that even looked to be one like Pax had suggested. "This one? It has to be better. It's not a cool blue color, but it looks more... respectable. I dunno." He couldn't tell if he was hoping for a better review from the older man or more of the same.

Much to Pax's dismay, Seren still seemed determined to find another ship. The purple-haired man's stomach was churning uncomfortably. He didn't want to continue to lie, not to Seren. Fuck knows what made him different, but all Pax knew was that he didn't want to lie, but he also didn't want to lose him.

The ship before them was a nice model. One Pax actually wanted for himself, truth be told; sleek and well crafted, with the most powerful hyperdrive that was commercially available.

"Good taste, kitten," Pax said softly, awed that he would somehow independently pick that one. "It's a really great model... Quick and reasonably priced. Beautiful."

He sighed.

Staring at the ship, Seren nodded slowly. "Alright. So it'd probably be this one, then."

He didn't know why Pax had stopped after such a brief description, but he took out his comm, snapping a photo of the display in front of the ship so that the name clearly showed. "Now I'll know which one to buy if I ever get up the nerve."

Then he turned and walked away. He didn't even know where he was _going_, but it was vaguely in the direction of the Siren. Seeing that ship, knowing it was one he could likely purchase... It was too much. He couldn't anymore.

"...You're not buying it today?" Pax blurted, trying to keep the overwhelming joy from his voice. Maybe he had _longer_. Maybe he could finally work out how to ask Seren to stay if he had the time to think about it more. Maybe it would all be alright.

"I mean, that's cool, but means you came out for no reason... Wanna just pretend we're getting one, and go for a joyride?" he grinned.

Seren stopped in place, only turning a bit to shake his head. "Nah, I can't today. I..."

Pax's suggestion of taking the ship out didn't appeal either. His insides were churning with so many emotions, he didn't even know which to act on. "And no, it's fine. Listen, Pax... I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend."

Then, awkwardly, he froze up. What was he even supposed to say? 'I like you too much to go'? 'The sex is so good that I can't leave'? While those were pretty much true, he wasn't sure saying it was a great idea.

Pax paused too, putting his hands in his pockets for lack of anything better to do as his stomach started churning. What could the concern be? Did he know that Pax was lying about all of the perfectly serviceable and affordable ships?

"...What's up?" he managed, shoulders tense.

"Listen," Seren finally repeated, though his mouth felt parched. "I don't want to leave Fortuna yet. I've been thinking about it, and maybe I really jumped the gun. I could still learn a lot there and make a good living. So if I'm not gonna leave yet, I don't really need a ship."

He glanced around, anywhere but at Pax, trying to work up his courage. "I'm sorry I made you waste a trip, though. And I know I'm in the way, so maybe I'll just rent an apartment. But also, I don't wanna leave... Well, you."

He couldn't say more yet, awkwardly looking at a nearby ship and almost visibly trembling. What would Pax make of this?

Pax felt as though someone was reading his thoughts, looking through his head and picking out what he wanted to hear. It was like a dream, but some part of him was uncomfortable with the level of emotion he was experiencing.

"So don't," he said, sharp with desperation, but with no annoyance, just pure excitement. _Stay with me._ "Don't leave. Stay. We'll work it out, stay with me," he babbled.

"You..."

Pax _wanted_ him to stay? That badly? He finally turned to look at the older man, hardly believing what he'd heard. That maybe they could feel the same way.

"But why?" he asked, beginning to chuckle because he was just that startled. "I mean... We fight all the time, and I'm really in your way on the Siren. Not that we don't have good times. We're friends and all that. And lately, we..." He didn't need to finish. They had gotten a _lot_ closer lately.

"I won't leave, but you don't have to let me keep imposing on you. You've been kind for so long to let me stay, but I really could get a place of my own. I always kind of felt like you might want to get back to your old life, the way it was before you met me." He glanced back down then, blushing. He couldn't mention that he knew Pax would want to carry on sleeping with other men, because he didn't even want to think about it.

"Don't you want to? I-..."

Pax groaned angrily, but was flushed. "Look, this doesn't happen to me a lot, and I wanna see how it goes. I like... I like _you_. I wanna see how this goes, like... Whatever. I want you to stay, okay? I know we fucking argue and shit but it's just bickering, isn't it? I'm never _mad_. Just stay, okay? Stay."

Seren looked bewildered but nodded. "I do want to. If you wanted me to. And it looks like you do."

He bit his lip, sighing. "I guess so. And sometimes I really... _enjoy_ the bickering? I dunno, that's weird. And fuck, but I like you too. If you wanna see what happens, well..."

He swallowed hard. "I'll stay. And I don't feel like looking at ships anymore." What he wanted was to go back to the Siren, where he was starting to feel he belonged.

_Kiss him, you fucking idiot._

Pax stepped forward and picked Seren up into his arms, holding him around the waist so that his legs dangled a little, and kissed him. For the first time, it felt... Intimate. Truly intimate. And that was terrifying.

"Me neither. Let's go home, hm?" he said, setting Seren back down.

Pax had stepped forward and lifted him off his feet so quickly that Seren had little time to react before he was passionately kissed. He found himself returning the kiss, startled this time by how intense and _real_ it felt.

He was too dazed to protest having been picked up (it made him feel short), instead just nodding and licking his lips, as though still tasting Pax there. "Yeah, let's go." Silently heading back toward their own ship, he was temporarily at a loss for words. As much as he wanted this, he also worried it was the wrong decision. Time would tell, but he still didn't know exactly what he was looking for with this arrangement.

"Three days back," he said shakily, once they had boarded the Siren again. "Heh, I'm sorry. Maybe if I'd been more open about shit, we wouldn't have needed to waste a week-long trip at all."

Pax flopped down into the pilot's seat and leaned back, stretching his legs out as far as he was able in the cramped space.

"I'm not sorry," he said simply. "I love flying, and... Well. I had fun. With you."

"Well, if you're not," Seren replied with a sudden grin. "Then I won't be either. And we did have a lot of fun."

Realizing exactly what sort of _fun_ they'd had, he suddenly blushed, quickly taking his seat at the other console again. Did he dare to hope for more? As long as he stayed with Pax? It wasn't _just_ the physical aspect. But he really wanted that to continue as well.

"So, uh. We gonna relax a bit first?" The older man didn't seem to be in too big of a hurry, flopped in the pilot seat as he was.

Pax smiled lazily, looking over at Seren. He was much more relaxed without the fear of the younger man leaving, a tension gone from his shoulders.

"Nah, I'll take us back home. Unless you want some more time? I guess... I guess we should talk...?"

"Alright. I do want to go home." He shifted in his seat, somewhat nervous. "Er... yeah. We should talk about... stuff. I guess. I dunno."

Seren gave Pax a hopeful sort of smile. "We could always do that on the way, though. We have three days."

Pax had already sat up, and was prepping the ship's engines in a lazy manner, but was awkwardly avoiding Seren's gaze.

"Yeah. I, uh. I have some stuff to say, I just need to work out how to say it, y'know? We will talk though, I guess we... We need to." Damn. Now that he had suggested it, he was far less enthused.

Seren looked at Pax another moment, then averted his eyes as well. He didn't want it to be so uncomfortable between them, but they did have to learn to get through this sort of thing.

He slowly started getting ready for a takeoff, buckling himself into the safety belts again far sooner than he thought he would be. But it was such a relief that he was.

"If it helps any, I've never done anything like this before, either," he offered quietly, not sure if he meant the discussion, or just being with someone this way in general.

Bringing his headset up and resting it around his neck, Pax nodded.

"Look, maybe... Let's not put any pressure on it? I want you to stay, I wanna keep fucking, and I like having you around. If you're game, we'll keep doing that," he offered. It wasn't the most eloquent summation of their situation, but it worked.

"Oh... Yeah, sure. No pressure. Kind of casual. I don't mind that at all, I want... I want more."

Seren took his own headset, fussing with it for a moment before suddenly smirking bravely. "That must mean I'm a pretty good fuck, then. Since you're not bored and you want to continue. Not bad, considering my lack of experience. In fact, maybe I'm a natural." The teasing felt right too, like something he wanted to do more. He wanted to get a _reaction_ from the older man, though he didn't fully understand what he'd like that to be yet.

Pax snorted, smirking, "Oh, _yeah_, you're the _best_."

What was it, though? What _was_ it actually that made Pax want to keep doing it? He'd never fucked the same someone more than three times, and those had been circumstantial, or really fucking hot. Seren was hot, but it wasn't that. Pax shrugged it off, deciding it definitely wasn't worth worrying about that much right now. If the younger man asked, he'd just tell him it wasn't his business.

Or shut him up with Pax's tongue in his mouth...

The purple-haired man pulled the headset back on and started the launch sequence, chatting to the control tower, who seemed miffed that they were leaving immediately, but somehow Pax's lame joke about forgetting his wallet landed well, and they let him go without question.

"Knew it," Seren muttered with a sly smirk of his own. He waited, amused by Pax's excuses for their early departure, and glad leaving turned out to be so simple. They hadn't even spent an _hour_ at the shipyard.

He quietly let Pax handle their takeoff and return to the outer atmosphere, waiting until a good time before he bothered him again. "So, what's the reason? Since I'm here now, I guess I should know. What if you're only keeping me because I can make you curry sometimes, so you have some actual variety to the endless fucking noodles? If that's it, I'll ask you to just take me back the shipyard and leave me there," he teased.

"Hey, I have variety, you little jerk," Pax laughed, "Sometimes I have fried chilka from the grease joint on the corner by Undervorld. Or there was that time I made steaks! So, to be honest, fuck you!"

He was smirking all the while, so cocky in his flying that he held Seren's gaze for a good portion of his conversation.

"Yeah right, you big jerk," Seren retorted, though he was smiling too. "Ew. That shit's kinda nasty. The steaks were okay, I guess, but if you wanted some _real_ variety, you'd try all the Earth vegetables I keep buying."

Like that was ever going to happen. "To be even more honest, fuck _you_. And watch where you're going. You'll fly us into a fucking asteroid and we'll be getting towed right back to get a new ship after all." He leaned back, smirking. This had always been fun. He would have missed it.


	23. Part 23: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way back to Fortuna, Pax and Seren decide to enjoy themselves. This time, things start to get a little kinkier.

Once the ship was flying on auto, Pax stood and pulled Seren up with him, leaning down to kiss him.

"...Wanna go back to bed, kitten?" he purred.

Seren was somehow not surprised. "Already?" he chuckled, though it was soon lost in a pathetically needy moan against the kiss, which was his real answer.

"That was a pretty stressful experience. So yeah... yeah, let's go. We can relax a little." Far from relaxing, his mind was more on how _intense_ he wanted it to be.

Pax felt his body respond to that delicious little moan, and he snatched Seren's wrists, pinning them up against the seat back.

"Maybe we don't even need to move," he said.

Seren gasped, almost painfully hard from the very moment Pax pinned his wrists up. "Fuck... why does this turn me on so much?" he muttered, finally putting words to what he had been wondering for so long.

"But... here?" he asked, questioning whether Pax would mean this chair in specific (he couldn't really see how), or something else.

Pax tilted his head, looking down at Seren. The idea that being manhandled like that turned him on... Well, it turned Pax on too.

"Yeah? Grab the chair, then. Keep your hands there and don't move unless I say you can," Pax said firmly, awkwardly moving to his knees and starting to open Seren's trousers, his long fingers finding his erection and stroking immediately.

Moaning loudly, Seren did as he was told and kept his arms up, gripping the top of the chair tightly with both hands. He felt it might be even better if he was _tied_ to the chair, which somehow made him even _more_ horny, but that wasn't possible just then.

Pax had knelt in front of him and had taken his cock out, already stroking it in a way that drove Seren wild. It wasn't just the touch; it was the inability to move, or at least the illusion of it. "Why is this so good," he muttered again, head rolling back against the cushion.

Pax looked up; seeing Seren with his hands pinned above him, his legs parted for him and visible arousal in his face was an overwhelmingly delicious sight.

"I didn't say you could speak," he purred, leaning down to wrap his lips around Seren's cock, taking it deep.

"You gonna tell me everything I can and can't do now?" Seren snorted mockingly, though in the very next breath, he knew that was exactly what he wanted.

Anything else he planned to say was lost as Pax all but _swallowed_ his cock. The fair-haired man began moaning loudly, jerking his hips without even meaning to. "Ahh... _fuck_..."

Pax pulled back, his eyes hungry and his lips moist, parted slightly as he smirked.

"You're fucking right, I'm going to tell you everything you can and can't do. No more _talking_," he hissed, before taking the younger man back in his mouth, swirling his tongue around as his hand and fingers worked further down, underneath him, stroking his sensitive perineum.

"Think you can stop me?" Seren panted, though his words immediately dissolved into thirsty moans when Pax began again to work at his body with his skillful mouth and fingers.

Really, it was too difficult to even form words when he felt so truly turned on, pushing his wrists tightly against the back of the seat as he attempted not to squirm _too_ much.

_Oh, I don't just think I can, I _know_ I can._

Pax slipped his hand lower, using his free one to grab Seren's hip. In one fluid motion, he dragged the smaller man forward so that he slumped further in the seat, and was thrust deeper into Pax's throat. Given better access between Seren's legs, Pax started teasing his hole with dry (and therefore gentle) fingers.

Being dragged forward, Seren gave a sharp cry of lust as he went even deeper, but still kept his arms up as though he truly wanted it. He felt sure he did.

The addition of light fingertips teasing his hole was pushing him too far, however. "Oh fuck, Pax, _please_, I want more, please," he babbled, breaking the current "rule" about talking. Or whatever it was.

Pax pulled back and grinned savagely at him as he lazily stroked his cock, his grip loose and teasing, "Bedroom?"

"Yes. Fuck, yes." Seren felt weak for Pax's expressions, the way he spoke and acted when sex was involved. He wasn't sure he understood it, but he definitely wanted more.

He stood when given the room to, already taking his shirt off and practically stumbling in his haste to reach the bed.

Pax followed close behind his new lover ( ..._Or fuck buddy, it seemed_), watching his slender frame appreciatively. They were barely in the threshold of the bedroom before Pax grabbed him and spun him to face him, pulling him into a hungry kiss, obvious erection pressing hard against Seren's hip.

When he finally pulled away to gasp for breath, he shoved Seren down onto the mattress, stripping off his own clothes with a predatory, lustful smile.

Seren gasped as he was manhandled and kissed, feeling how hard Pax was for him, and thrown down to the bed. He was wriggling out of the rest of his clothes even as he watched the older man strip.

He lay back on the bed, surprisingly bold, and spread his legs wide so that Pax could see. Whining softly, he arched his hips up. "Fuck me," he moaned. " _Dominate_ me." He didn't know where that word had come from so suddenly, but it sounded so _good_.

The word sparked arousal in Pax that was strong enough to make him growl in his throat. His hand shot out before he could think, wrapping around Seren's throat in a way he wouldn't have even considered with another partner. He'd just used such a specific word, it felt... _right_.

"This what you want, kitten?" he hissed, "To be treated roughly, like some filthy little slut?"

When Seren suddenly found himself with a hand around his throat, and Pax speaking deliciously nasty things to him, he felt as though time had stopped for a moment. His eyes were wide and almost glazed with his sudden burning _need_ for this to happen.

"Yes," he finally gasped, beginning to writhe. "I want to be pushed down and fucked like a cheap whore, pounded into the mattress until I'm drooling and begging to come. _Do it_."

He felt sure his cock had never been so hard before. It shouldn't have surprised him, he'd had numerous fantasies of being dominated by some of the singers he loved to listen to so much, but he felt Pax could make it real for him, and that was what he wanted now more than anything. It felt surprisingly right.

Fuck. _Oh fuck._

Pax's cock throbbed with every utterance from the younger man, and he squeezed Seren's throat, but was smiling sharply, arousal radiating from him, "You fucking nasty little thing. I hope you can take it."

He leaned down, his hand now clenched around Seren's jaw as he kissed him harshly, before flipping him onto his front and yanking his hips up, "This how you want it, baby? Me to fuck you into the mattress until you're sore?"

He had no intention of going too far, but... The language, the overwhelming feeling that had never happened like this before... Pax _wanted_ it.

Seren's eyes were lidded as Pax squeezed his throat, called him nasty, leaned over him with lust written all over his face... "Yeah. And I will, if you even can."

He felt the taunt was rewarded when Pax kissed him roughly and flipped him over. He _did_ whine like a needy slut then, trying to wiggle his ass the best he could in the larger man's grip. While talking that way was one thing, he also felt strangely sure that Pax would know just how far to carry it, with Seren still being on the newer side when it came to sex.

"Yeah, give it to me. Make me scream," he moaned, pushing his face partially into the mattress on his own, but thinking it would be ten times better if Pax was forcibly holding him there.

Seren's wishes were answered as Pax, while deftly reaching a hand into the side cabinet to find both a condom and lube (he'd gotten quite good at multitasking in bed, he felt), stroked a firm hand from Seren's coccyx up to his hair, letting his fingers run through the fluffy blonde locks before his fist closed, tugging the hair tight as he leaned into the pressure. He only held Seren down lightly at first, while he concentrated on preparing them both.

The initial penetration would need to be slow and careful, but once he felt Seren open up, he was going to hold nothing back.

When Pax grabbed his hair and pushed his face down a little, just as he'd wanted, Seren gave a deep groan of satisfaction. He wanted even more, but figured the older man was busy with the lube and condom, so he'd have to give it time.

However, he didn't feel content just waiting. "Hurry! Why are you so fucking slow? Did you forget how to put on a condom or something?" he taunted, though he was still panting with lust. "I need cock, and I need it _now_." It wasn't directly clear to him why he might want to annoy Pax a little, except that he remembered Pax was even hotter when he was annoyed, along with more rough. He definitely wanted more of that. This felt like an experiment, one he couldn't wait to see the results of.

Pax hissed angrily, yanking Seren's hair back so he could spit in his ear, "You can shut your fucking mouth, you little whore, or I'll gag you."

It came so naturally. Everything Pax said, he did so without a thought. It was _hot_ and his own words, the power he had, _knowing that Seren wanted it_, turned him on further. Much as he wanted to slam into Seren, he was careful when he entered, but very quickly stopped caring when he was enveloped by that burning heat.

The sharp pull against Seren's hair, the angry words hissed in his ear... It had been what he wanted, and he knew it now. In fact, he thought he could do with _more_ pain, but there was no need to rush. Later he could check if Pax would be open to the idea. He also thought he just might enjoy being gagged.

But the only thing that mattered now was that Pax was carefully penetrating him, making him moan. He was relaxed, eager, ready for more.

"If I'm such a whore, you'd better start treating me like one," he dared to mutter, ready for whatever came next.

Seren was certainly not experienced enough, nor had they known each other intimately long enough for Pax to completely lose control. Instead, he leaned down, reaching around to clamp a hand around Seren's mouth, whispering in his ear, "Enough outta you, kitten."

He gripped Seren's lean hip with his free hand and started drawing his hips back and forth, rougher than before, but controlled.

This time, the whispered words grounded Seren a little. He knew he had been getting ahead of himself, perhaps too eager to know what was good for him. It didn't erase how he _felt_, but he needed to be treated carefully a bit longer.

That, and the hand over his mouth, effectively stopped him from trying to wind Pax up any further.

He groaned against the fingers pressing into his lips, still enjoying what felt like slightly rougher treatment than he'd gotten before. And the memory of everything they had just said was quickening his arousal until he already thought he almost couldn't take it.

Holding Seren against him, the minute vibration against his palm as the younger man moaned, caused Pax a surge of arousal. Despite his concerns, Seren seemed relaxed enough, eager enough, that he moved with a little more force, eventually moving his hand and pushing Seren's head down to the mattress, leaning over him.

For whatever reason (he wasn't in the place to contemplate it), he was much closer to climax, much quicker than he'd been before. He chewed the inside of his lip in the hopes of lasting a bit longer; Seren was turning out to be too good a fuck to let it end quickly.

Seren was grateful when he felt that little bit of extra force in Pax's movements. There was some pain, but it wasn't making him tense up, and it wasn't to the point he needed to tell the larger man to stop. Again, he _welcomed_ it.

"I can't take much more, Pax," he finally panted, face still pressed down and fingers curling into the blankets beside it. "You're doing great, but I need to come. Please... please finish and let me come." Despite not being necessary, he still felt he wanted to beg. Someday, he hoped he would rarely have to break out of whatever sort of act it was they had been putting on earlier.

Pax obliged fairly quickly after all, too eager for his own release, and reached down to stroke Seren with a practiced hand, in time with his thrusts. With only a soft gasp as warning, Pax came, his hips bucking erratically as he continued to cling to the younger man, still touching him.

Keeping his eyes closed, Seren gratefully moaned as Pax came, touching him expertly at the same time. He gave himself over to the sensation, feeling his own orgasm build and then move through him in waves of intense pleasure.

"It just keeps getting better... doesn't it?" he panted weakly, feeling himself start to pull away as he began to collapse on the bed. It crossed his mind randomly that maybe he had now had sex with Pax more than anyone else ever had. Why did the idea make him feel so good?

Pax chuckled weakly as he collapsed next to Seren, rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah, once you've done it the once, it gets easier, and you can try more things. You just gotta be careful," he said, his eyes lidded as he stretched out. Despite himself, he started idly playing with Seren's hair.

Curious, Seren glanced up at Pax's hand in his hair but decided not to say anything. He didn't want to ruin the moment, one where he felt surprisingly happy. It also just felt really nice.

"Hey, so..." he finally spoke again, feeling shyer. "If I'm staying with you on the ship, do you think I could have my own space? Not a bedroom, we can still share, but like a workroom? For my computers and shit? I plan on getting more. It's okay if not, just figured I'd ask, so I'm not spread out all over the ship." He could feel Pax's warmth next to him and almost wanted to move even closer. He stopped himself, not knowing if it was a good idea. They weren't boyfriends or anything...

Pax felt a strange sense of panic, mild but certainly there. He hadn't ever really had someone in his space before, and the thought was more than a little disconcerting, but... He liked the kid well enough, and there was no denying how pleasant it was to have him in his bed (or wherever they felt like it).

"Sure. There's a storage bay I don't really use. If we clean it up, it could work. You remember, by the airlock?" he offered.

"Yeah, I remember," Seren replied with a little groan. "It needs a lot of cleaning to be up to my standards. But I'm willing. It'll be great to have all my computers together, and then you won't distract me with any of the fucking weird stuff you like to do." Mostly he was teasing. But Pax really was weird sometimes.

"Hey, let's get cleaned up, make something to eat," he said brightly, already clambering off the bed. He felt in high spirits now, happy he wasn't leaving Pax and thrilled to be heading back to the station. He'd really gotten to feeling like it was his _home_, at least for now. "I'll even cook! Uh... if we have ingredients left."

"Oh fuck off," Pax snorted, rolling over onto his front and burying his face in the mass of pillows. "Nerd."

After a moment, and with Seren's suggestion, he pushed himself up and quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah? There's enough for you to make stuff," he said hopefully. "Or I can cook."

Of course, Pax's 'cooking' was heating up the water for noodles, but they were still _good_, dammit.

"I don't want noodles," Seren replied promptly, as though reading Pax's mind, and ignoring the rest of what he had said. "I'm cooking."


	24. Part 24: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back on Fortuna to stay, Pax finally lets Seren participate in one of his jobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last update of the year! If you've been reading along, thanks for your enjoyment. <3

The days after their return to the station passed in a remarkable blur. The storage bay was cleaned up into an acceptable workroom for Seren, and he was soon adding more equipment as his hacking skills quickly continued to improve. He was making his own money and feeling more confident about his entire situation.

And of course, there was the sex.

He didn't sleep with Pax every day, and he never asked whether the older man was sleeping with anyone else. It left a strange feeling in his chest every time he considered it. But for what it was worth, they did it pretty often. Seren had gained a lot more confidence in that as well, though he always let Pax take control. He never had the urge to do it any other way. And Pax _definitely_ didn't need to be so gentle with him anymore, something Seren seemed to enjoy a lot. Maybe too much.

That particular day, he could hear Pax moving around the ship from inside his workroom. Tilting his head as he sat in front of his main computer, he waited to see if his 'partner' was about to crash through the door. He'd tried to bar Pax from entering at all, but Pax had his own ideas about that.

"Yeah! Yeah... No, not exactly-"

For someone with the proclivities that Pax had, he was not especially subtle about his private conversations, and was bumbling about the ship as though he had forgotten that Seren was even there, mid-conversation.

"No. _No_. Shut up, as if," he mumbled, like a pouting child. "Look, I can do it. I've got a guy. Oh, please."

There were a few heavy footsteps in the corridor outside, and sure enough, Pax wandered through without so much as a knock. He'd seen Seren _naked_, so there was nothing to hide, as far as he was concerned.

He was on his comm, a can of fruit soda tucked into the crook of his elbow as he was gnawing on a piece of dried meat. He offered an awkward wave to Seren.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, look, just send me the details, and I'll fuckin' ask, yeah?" he said, perching on the edge of the console next to Seren. "You called _me_ though, didn't you?" he said, smirking. "Thought so. Heh. See ya."

He grinned innocently at Seren, speaking sweetly, "So... What're ya doing?"

After a little while, Seren could distinctly hear Pax's voice out in the corridor, carrying on some conversation on his comm. This was nothing new, but he paused in his work to listen anyway.

He didn't even bat an eye when Pax came in and sat down near him. However, he did lean back and give him a less than impressed look until he was finished with his call.

"Oh, you know. Working," he replied, actually not sounding too annoyed just then. "What about you? Have a nice chat? And you brought me a soda, that's thoughtful." He smirked, reaching out toward the can as if to take it.

Without really thinking, his mind too awash with scheming all of a sudden, Pax handed the can over.

"Mmhm, that's interesting, but what about some _better_ work?" he said, not even pretending to care about what work Seren _had_ been doing. "Something with some decent pay?"

He leaned closer, grinning wolfishly, the crystals around his eyes almost glittering as much as his eyes themselves.

"I've already accepted on your behalf, so don't think too hard, cutiepie."

Seren lifted an eyebrow when Pax handed him the can, but took it and cracked it open with a sudden smile. _He must be totally distracted by something._

The smile quickly turned into a frown as the older man kept speaking. "Oh, and how is what _you_ have _better_? How do you know I'm not working on the biggest paying job yet?" He wasn't, actually.

"I don't know." Seren leaned away from the familiar look on Pax's face, finally starting to get irritated. "But great, thanks for telling me. Wait..." An intriguing thought had occurred to him, making him more curious than upset. "Do you mean like... work with you? You've never asked me to do that before."

"Yeah, like work with me," Pax laughed. He spread his hands, turning to face Seren fully, "Okay, so, my friend just needs some info. That's literally it. But the thing is, it's behind some security measures he can't crack by himself; that's where you come in. If you can work with him to break the security measures, it leaves the place open for me. I go in, disguised, and take this info he's after. He says it's not especially accessible remotely, hence me taking the physical datacard so he can crack it at his leisure. Maybe you can help with that too, hm?"

There was an obvious excitement in Pax's eyes; he hadn't had a job like that in a while, and was eager to work with Seren, oddly enough.

It was impossible to miss the fact that Pax was really into the job. Seren felt himself relax, glad he'd been approached with it. He'd kind of always hoped that maybe, someday, Pax would ask him something like this.

"Wow, okay. Hm... So either your friend is a really bad hacker, or the key is double encrypted? But I imagine you have other hacker friends who could help. Ones with more experience than me." He was quick to add, "Not that I don't want to help! Guess I'm just surprised. And yeah, if he sends over the core files from the card, I can take a look at them."

Seren fidgeted a moment, almost seeming embarrassed. "But, uh... You'll go in alone? It's safe, right? You don't need me to come too?" He was strangely hopeful that he could be allowed along, even if it was unnecessary, and he'd just be in the way.

As he listened, Pax's expression glazed somewhat, content just to look at Seren rambling about... Whateverthefuck.

"Uh-huh," he said at a random point, before becoming aware that Seren had asked him something. Slowly, his full lips turned up into a smirk and he reached up, gently pinching Seren's cheek.

"N'awww. You worried about me, kitten? That is _so_ cute," he gushed, pursing his lips and making a few quiet kissing noises.

Not even aware if Pax was paying attention, Seren continued talking until he finally responded. Just not the way he had expected.

"No! That's not what I meant." He tried to pull back from Pax's fingers with a tiny scowl. "Fuckin' jerk," he muttered. "I'm not worried about _you_. I just think it's unfair sometimes, having to sit behind a computer while someone else gets to go out and do stuff." Pax was way better suited than he was, and Seren had _chosen_ to be a hacker, but that didn't mean he never had the random daydream about being out in the middle of the real action.

"So I can't go...?"

Pax gave him a light pat on the cheek, grinning as Seren squirmed away.

"Hey, you chose to be a big geek, you do the big geek stuff. I chose to be a more hands-on guy 'cuz geek stuff isn't my thing. We all have uses, cutiepie. So, to put it clearly, _no_. You can't go," he said firmly. "I got this. More than one of us and it looks suspicious as fuck. Just me."

"Whatever." Seren shrugged, continuing to frown. "You know I'm not helpless. I can just about take you in a fight, provided you don't use the augments." It was about more than fighting, of course, and he knew that. But he was still feeling just a little restless.

"What about next time? Next time I could go, if it wouldn't be suspicious," he tried to reason, sounding hopeful.

The older man shrugged, "If it gets called for, sure. Why the fuck not? It's always helpful to work with others, depending on what the actual job is. As it happens, this one is pretty small, but it'll still be a decent cut. Two and a half thousand UCs sound good?"

"Good," Seren replied, beaming now. "That'll be fun." The truth was actually more that he couldn't wait to be out doing something with Pax, not so much that he'd ever wanted to commit a crime purely for "fun."

"Ahh... yeah, yeah sure," he continued brightly. "That's pretty good. Actually great. So how soon is this happening? When do I get in contact with your friend?" He was trying to keep his cool, act unconcerned, when he was inwardly somewhat elated to be helping Pax with anything at all.

Pax tilted his head, quirking a sharp brow at the younger man. He seemed a little eager, making Pax thankful it would be a remote job for him. It wasn't exactly wise to take someone without much experience into the situations Pax found himself in.

"He'll contact us. He said it'll be within the week," he said, taking the can of fruit soda from where Seren had set it down and sipping it. "And, knowing _Cyb_, that means it'll be within two or three days, and he'll want the job done by the end of the week."

Seren seemed to notice the look, glancing away just long enough to miss the fact that Pax had taken the can back again. "Hey, that was mine," he protested, the smirk returning.

"Okay. This, uh... Cyb? Sounds demanding. Hopefully I'm fast enough at what I do. I don't wanna look bad. Or make you look bad, I guess. You're the one taking a chance on me for the first time." Pax had taken a lot of chances on him when he thought about it. Seren thought himself so eager to please simply because he didn't want to be a disappointment.

"So don't," Pax said simply, shrugging as he continued to drink the soda. "Just do what you do, in good time, and it'll all be fine."

*

It was, as it turned out, better than fine.

Cyb remained distant, and only seemed to communicate with Seren through Pax, something Pax assured him was to place the blame squarely on Pax, should they get caught. Admittedly, Pax knew Cyb would never let them take the fall if the job went awry, but it was fun to tell Seren all the same.

The information was held in the White Nebula district, a high-class area of the station that held all of the control towers, and communication relays with other stations and neighboring planets. Pax, in disguise as a certain Neptu communication head, had slipped into the comms tower once Seren had expertly hacked through every immense security measure before him.

Several days later, Pax was pulling on a hooded sweater in the bedroom. He turned to Seren, looking somewhat nervous. "I'm going to drop the data to Cyb's contact. You gotta stay here though, kitten. Okay?"

Despite everything, Seren had remained anxious. Not least because Pax kept telling him they could get _caught_ and land themselves in _serious trouble_.

The hacking itself had gone fine. Seren was used to handling security systems, but not usually for buildings. It only took him a little time to find out exactly what he needed to get his part of the job done. He did, however, end up with the impression that Pax's friend wanted to maintain privacy for himself, otherwise he would have asked more questions.

It had really been strange, but this time he'd worried more about Pax going out than any time before. Maybe it was because _he_ was the one who'd gotten Pax into the building. Whatever it was, he had been beyond relieved to see the older man again when he returned.

He was currently sitting on the bed, watching Pax with curiosity. "Oh... is this part dangerous then, too? You look like it is. You sure you don't want help? Or I could just, you know, follow along behind you without letting you know I'm there." He was partially teasing, but wondering what Pax would have to say about that.

"Don't you dare," Pax grumbled, checking his pockets and pulling the hood up. The fine digital mesh laced over him, and he was suddenly a very similar looking man, but with dull brown hair, dark eyes, and none of Pax's tattoos or visual modification.

"We did well, but we're not quite there yet, kiddo. So stay here, enjoy the bed being free for a while," he offered with a small smirk. Still, he seemed just edgy enough for it to be noticeable.

"Why not?" Seren replied slyly, watching the mesh cover Pax with interest. "I can watch your back."

He leaned onto his elbows, still looking skeptical. "Well, I know we did. Don't call me that. And I guess, but... you'll be back soon, right? It's not too dangerous. Nothing to worry about?" He didn't want to get teased again for being _concerned_, but he couldn't help it.

"Okay, cutiepie," Pax said smoothly. If he didn't like 'kiddo,' there were plenty of things he could call him.

His smirk grew as Seren continued to speak. He stepped closer to the bed and leaned down, putting his hand next to Seren's side and moving in close, "You worried about me, Seren? You gotta stop, people will talk."

"Not that either," he sighed. "I have a name." He'd tried so many times to get Pax to just use his name, but it never worked, and he tried much less now. Maybe he didn't even mind so much.

He looked up with a frown when Pax moved in close, actually granting his wish. But when Pax _did_ use his name, it usually felt... different. "_No_. You're the only one who can fly this ship, that's all. If something happens to you, I gotta sell it, and it sure as hell won't make me any money." He kept his eyes locked on the other man's, feeling a bit awkward due to the visual being in place, but mostly because of the situation.

Pax's expression flashed darkly for the briefest moment.

"I don't have time to fuck around right now, but do not talk shit about my ship," he said sharply.

Normally he wouldn't take such a light jibe to heart, but his nerves were setting him up to be far more sensitive.

What he hadn't yet explained to Seren was that the man he was meeting _knew_ him. He'd begged and pleaded with Cyb not to send Rixan, but his old friend had quietly explained that there was no one else he could trust with the data. The reason for the disguise was that it was Rixan that Pax had sold out to the enforcers all those years ago. He wouldn't be on the station long, Pax was certain, but it still made him anxious.

"I'm going," he added, hauling himself up from that position and turning on his heel, marching out.

Despite himself, Seren's heart started racing at the change in Pax's tone, the dark look in his eyes. It was a strangely _lustful_ feeling that came over him at first, before he realized the older man was completely serious. Something was wrong.

"Uh, sorry," he muttered, leaning back again. "I didn't mean it." Usually it was _Seren_ getting upset. He didn't know what to do, especially as Pax seemed intent on leaving.

"Good luck." Seren wasn't sure if Pax heard. He flopped back on the bed when the footsteps had faded, staring at the ceiling, where he would remain for some time.

Just thinking about Pax.

Pax's hands were trembling minutely as he made his way through the noisy neon streets. He knew exactly what he needed to do, where he needed to be. That was half the problem; without needing to think about his location, his mind wandered to Rixan.

The man himself, heavily and beautifully tattooed all the way to his scalp and cheekbones, had changed immensely during his time in the detainment facility on Prima Omega. Where he had previously been on the heavier side, he was lean, obviously more muscular, as he stood waiting on the corner by a boarded-up building, hands in his pockets.

Without a word, Pax gave him an upward nod, patting his pocket. Rixan looked at him for far too long for Pax's liking, as though staring through his disguise and into his soul, but then gave him a friendly enough grin.

"Got it?" he murmured.

Pax nodded, handing over the datacard, which Rixan pocketed swiftly.

"Tell Cyb 'The Engraved Hourglass'. He'll know," the big man said. Just as Pax turned to leave, his arm was caught, and Rixan was looking at him carefully, "Hey, do I know you?"

"No," Pax said.

"Huh. You just look familiar," Rixan said, shrugging and letting him go.

Pax hurried away, shoulders hunched and hood low.

Damn, he was desperate to get back to Seren.

Eventually, Seren had gotten up and started wandering around the ship. Maybe there was some work or something else he could do to pass the time, but... He didn't feel like doing anything at all. He kept thinking about Pax, wishing he hadn't gone, even if he knew it was necessary.

He stayed in the general vicinity of the airlock, all but pacing, to the extent that was possible. Just in case Pax showed up soon, and he would know right away.

When he finally did hear the airlock opening, it was a struggle not to rush toward it. Instead, he moved into the kitchen, awkwardly standing and waiting for the older man to come to him.

The airlock closed, and yet Pax didn't appear.

There were footsteps, the barest sound of shuffling fabric, and Seren caught sight of Pax, undisguised and half-naked, heading to the bathroom.

"It went fine," he called, before the rushing of water could be heard and he raised his voice over the sounds of the shower. "Be out in a sec."

Seren remained where he was, watching Pax head through to the bathroom. If it had gone so well, why was he taking a shower immediately on returning?

Deciding to take him at his word, Seren returned to the bed and sat down again. He would wait and see if Pax wanted to talk or not.

After a short while later, Pax wandered out from the bathroom with a towel about his waist and rubbing one at his hair, and feeling more relaxed. Rixan would leave the station, and he'd never see him again, surely.

"Hey, kitten. You good?"

"Yeah," Seren replied, one eyebrow raised as he eyed Pax and his towels. "Not like I went anywhere. What about you, though? I mean, you were just acting... weird before you left."

It was up to Pax to decide to say anything about the situation, but Seren wouldn't press much more than this.

"No, I wasn't," Pax said brightly, but there was a hint of panic still visible in his eyes for a second before it was suddenly gone again. He smirked, tossing the wet towel from his hands at Seren.

"Stop worrying about me, kiddo," he said, teasing affectionately. "The exchange has been made. I'll check with Cyb when we'll get our money."

Seren didn't miss the look, observant as he was. But he knew by now he wouldn't get anything else out of the older man.

He caught the towel easily, then threw it right back at Pax's head. For some reason, he didn't feel like protesting the nickname again. "Oh, I'm not worried about you. I do worry about the money, but your friend seems trustworthy. I did it, though. My first real job with you." Suddenly he was beaming, excited about what he'd accomplished.

Relieved to not be under the spotlight again, Pax nodded, grinning.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did. And hey, you were actually good. I was confident I was in good hands, but I've been wrong before," he said, taking his other towel off and throwing them both to the laundry hamper before uncaringly taking a naked stroll to the wardrobe locker. "I've been really fucking wrong. I'm glad I wasn't."

"Of course you weren't wrong. I'm gonna be the best fucking hacker in the galaxy. You're just lucky you got in on the ground level with me." Seren was smirking in a satisfied way, which didn't leave as he glanced over Pax's naked body. Though, his face _was_ getting a little warmer.

He flopped backward on the bed so Pax wouldn't notice. "But how soon until another job, do you think? We made enough to last a while, but I can't wait for another. One where I could go along. I really want to try going along." He was secretly hoping Pax would see he was _amazing_ at that, too.

"And I don't trust you to take care of yourself, kitten," Pax said simply, as he found some clean, outrageously patterned boxers, and a scruffy sweater. He turned back to Seren with a shrug, "I'll keep an eye out with my contacts, but there's no fucking way you're coming along on something dangerous."

Seren sat up again with a glare. "I can take care of myself. On jobs like yours or anywhere else." He wasn't really thinking about it too clearly. But of course, if Pax wouldn't let him go, then he couldn't.

"Nice outfit. And it doesn't have to be _dangerous_. I just want to go somewhere with you. And... why, anyway? You _worried_ about me?" He was trying to mock the way Pax had teased him earlier, but had to wonder if the older man really was.

"Yeah, I'm fucking worried," Pax hissed, jabbing a finger at Seren, "You nearly got yourself killed with Devorak Nicks, don't think I've forgotten how I saved your ass."

He gave Seren a rude gesture as an afterthought with regard to his clothes, but this was just another thing the younger man was probably used to at that point.

"That's not even comparable," Seren snapped, getting a little heated now. Why was it _Pax_ was never the one getting flustered? "I was half-starved and out of my fucking mind. If I tried it today, I'd be the one kicking his ass." At least, he thought so. There was certainly a difference between sparring with Pax and actually _fighting_ someone who maybe had the intent to kill him.

"So fuck off," he concluded graciously, making the exact same gesture back at Pax. It had been a little while since his temper flared up, not that he ever thought it was gone entirely. Of course, he probably should have been watching the attitude if he wanted Pax to take him anywhere at all.

"I've said I'll keep an eye out for more, you brat, so calm down," Pax sighed, leaning over to pat Seren's cheek. "What have you been doing while I was out?"

Seren bristled slightly again, both at being patted so condescendingly, and _also_ at being called a brat. Which made him warm in the face for some stupid reason.

He squirmed away, pretending not to care. "Nothing. I mean, just some work. Nothing interesting." He wasn't going to tell Pax that he had actually done nothing except sit around and wait for him to return. There was no way he would admit to worrying.

"In fact, I'm gonna get back to that," he said quickly, jumping up from the bed and starting to hurry away. The way Pax had been treating him was giving him weird _feelings_, and running away from them was all he could do for now.

Pax watched him for a moment, amusement glittering behind his eyes. There was something enjoyable about messing with Seren in such a way, watching him get huffy and pent up.

Suddenly, a hand darted out and grabbed Seren's wrist, not tight, but enough to stop him. When he turned, Pax had a light, friendly smirk, looking at him through heavy lashes.

"You _could_ go back to work, or..."


	25. Part 25: [Siren Song, Fortuna Station]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrilled by the success of his first job with Pax, Seren is eager to take on something bigger. This job does not go according to plan...
> 
> Cliffhanger alert.

Of course, he'd stayed. He always did. The sex was just so _good_. Seren could have looked for someone else at that point, but the thought never appealed to him. Pax seemed to be everything he wanted. They weren't tender, of course, but he didn't think he wanted that. It was just _fucking_, and sometimes more than a little rough. There still seemed to be a line they hadn't crossed yet, even if Seren didn't know what that line was. Maybe one day they'd part ways, but he wasn't able to think about that. Or rather, he didn't want to entertain the idea in the first place.

Some weeks passed. After a point, Seren had taken to checking every day to see if Pax had found a job for them to do together, at times annoying the older man in the process. That was always a bonus since Pax annoyed him in turn.

That particular day, Seren found himself asking Pax for a second time, almost randomly, as they squeezed past each other in one of the Siren's narrow corridors. "How about now? Anything?" he said with a smug smirk.

It was getting insufferable. Pax hated being badgered into anything, unless that 'anything' included beer, dancing, or the odd _mood enhancer_. Or sex, but then, no one ever needed to badger Pax into bed.

This time, however, when Seren asked, he actually had an answer.

"Well, what do you fucking know, I _do_ have something. Axa, remember, from the Engine Shed? She's got a job from a 'friend,' she says. Little does she know, I know this friend. Anyway, it's bigger than before. We're meeting her tonight."

Seren stopped in his tracks, startled to receive an actual response. "...Oh? _Oh_. Fuck yeah!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, though he immediately decided to tone it down when he saw the look on Pax's face. He didn't want to ruin his chances of going on a job at last.

"I remember Axa, yeah..." How could any _forget_ Axa? "Bigger than before? What's that mean? It's a really big job? Tonight, how late? How many others? What are we doing?!"

So much for 'toning it down.'

"Look, you'll find out tonight. That's as much as I know, okay? All I got told was it was big, I was needed, as well as anyone trustworthy," Pax explained, shrugging and running a hand through his hair. "Just stay quiet and listen to the plan when the time comes, okay?"

"Hm, some big, mysterious job... sounds even better," Seren mused, his eyes still lit with delight. He would _finally_ get to do something with Pax. "Okay, but what if I have questions after I hear the plan? Can I ask? I mean, I don't have to keep quiet the whole time! Or do I? But of course not."

He was rambling, too enthused, when what he wanted was to be keeping his cool. For now, he didn't mind as much.

"If you wanna ask Axa questions, kitten, you do so. Just be prepared for the consequences when you do," Pax snorted. He at least knew as much that they would be thorough with their instructions, so it was unlikely Seren would need to ask. At least, he hoped.

Seren tilted his head, puzzled by this response. Maybe Axa didn't like questions?

"M'kay. I'm sure it'll be fine. So, do you have any other tips for me? Anything else I need to know? I wanna, like... be prepared. And do well." The truth was, he wanted to impress Pax. He wanted to spend time with Pax, doing something they could share together, even if it was, well... _crime_. He didn't know why, particularly.

"You're good in a scrap. I'm hoping it won't come to that, but you need to be prepared to possibly have a fight, okay?"

Axa wouldn't be involved if it didn't include some risk of injury or altercation. Pax also knew _that_ much.

He crooked a finger under Seren's chin with a smirk.

"Other than that, just trust me."

"Okay," Seren replied, eyes wider, earnest. "I'll do my best." So Pax was really letting him come along on a job like this. He must trust _Seren_, then. That left him feeling pleased.

"I do," he replied, not even trying to pull away.

*

When night had arrived, Seren found Pax again. Now he was a little more nervous about the situation, but still eager to carry it through. "Where are we headed? Will you be using a disguise?" he asked the older man, adjusting the hood of his jacket. He'd dressed all in dark clothes, knowing he would need to blend in.

"Nah, this should be easy. Fucking relax, okay? You're making me nervous," Pax grumbled, though it was clear he didn't really mean it, as he was leading Seren out onto the dampened streets with his hands slung in his pockets.

The building they approached appeared to be a cafe, small and modest, but closed. The neon sign was sadly dead and dimmed, yet Pax stepped up and knocked once.

A dark scaled Syszik peered out of the window, barely visible in the gloom before he disappeared, and a moment later he opened the door.

"Get inside," he hissed, visibly irritable. "And don't even think about coming back here when you're done."

"Not my idea, Zwe! I got nothing to do with this setup, I'm just here to help," Pax said, spreading his hands.

"Uh huh. Who's this?" Zwe asked, eyeing Seren.

"Leave him alone, he's with me," Pax said, waving a hand.

Seren only shrugged, amused by the idea he would make Pax nervous. Which he obviously wasn't. He kept any anxiety to himself, however, and stayed reasonably quiet until they had reached their destination.

The café was one Seren had never been to before, and hardly ever passed by. They were expected, as a Syszik inside soon had the door open for them.

He entered after Pax, glancing around the dark interior, then over at the being addressed as 'Zwe.' "Seren," he offered, when the older human had seemingly declined to introduce him. "Nice to meet you."

It hadn't come off sounding as tough as he'd hoped, but a little of the gravity of the situation was starting to come over him. He'd always thought about this, but never too _seriously_. Falling silent, he waited to see what might happen next, instead of worrying.

"Zwe," the Siszik nodded, firmly shaking Seren's hand. He gave him a small frown of concern, but seemed welcoming enough. He turned back to Pax and grunted, "They're already in the back."

The 'back' turned out to be a small storage area. Surrounded by crates of varying coffee blends and cold storage boxes, Axa was waiting, her hulking form the first thing that greeted them, and next to her were two humans, a slim and angular man, and a lean, fair-haired woman.

"Finally fucking showed up," Axa grunted, pushing herself away from the shelving and turning to the assembled group, holding up a padd that projected a digital blueprint for them to see, "Let's not wait anymore. Listen. We're going into the station security hangar at midnight, in the governing sector. Merc and Zetha are going to be our guys on the inside. Zetha will cause the security protocols to surge, which will give us twenty minutes exactly to get this-"

She thumped a thick finger onto the device, which projected a sleek, black device. Pax's eyebrow quirked.

"A hyperdrive?" he scoffed.

"No. This is anything but a standard hyperdrive. The tech in this thing is beyond, and we can get _disgustingly_ rich off selling said advanced tech," the woman, Zetha, hissed.

Not observing much else, worked up as he was over the situation, Seren just nodded in return and followed Pax into the other room.

Axa was there, obviously the first thing that drew the eye, impressive as she seemed to always appear. Seren looked over the other humans, but no one paid particular attention to him. He supposed it was just the way these things worked.

He listened to the basics of the plan eagerly, leaning forward past Pax to stare at the digital blueprint. When the image of the hyperdrive came up, he was obviously impressed.

"Wow. I'd love to get a look at-" Stopping himself, he flushed slightly and shrank back a step. Of _course_ he would call attention to himself as a huge fucking nerd. He enjoyed older tech more than new, but still...

Axa snorted a laugh, "So would _many_ buyers. Tell you what, you can have a little look at it once we get it clear of the warehouse before we sell it, okay?"

Pax gave Seren a fond glance before he turned to the other humans, "You and me both, but I wanna see it in flight. So, you two know the place?"

"Yeah. We'll get you in, I'm lookout, Zetha will prep the transport, you three secure the drive," Merc said, nodding.

"Ah, cool..." Seren mumbled, hands automatically finding his pockets. "Thanks." It would be so great to have a look at it. And it would bring in a lot of money... Pax had really meant it when he said it was a bigger job.

He smirked faintly in Pax's direction before nodding along with the rest of the plan. "Sounds good to me." He edged closer to the purple-haired man, glad they would be together. He really had no clue what else to do, other than trying to figure it out from him. "We ready now...?"

Seren was met with nods and acknowledgment from the assembled group, and with little else to plan, they headed out.

*

The security hangar was enormous, clearly housing multiple ships of shuttle class or larger, maybe even with enough room for military size grades, though nothing of dreadnought levels, which Pax was thankful for. Dreadnought class ships would be so heavily protected the group might have been shot on sight by guard bots.

It was dark, quiet. Zetha had disrupted any remaining security protocols, then moved to prep the transportation, while Merc was listening in and guiding them to the right place. Pax, Axa, and Seren were making their way down eerily quiet corridors, which almost felt too small after the vast expanses of the hangar, where Pax had whispered in awe about the ships and their capabilities.

"You're nearly there," Merc's husky voice came out over the comm device in Axa's hand. "Just a few more rooms."

It was much, much too quiet.

Seren knew that was a good thing, but he couldn't help but feel on edge. He was only now realizing it was hardly ever _quiet_, no matter where he was on the Siren. There was always the hum of his computers, or the tap of his fingers on the keys, or Pax's voice in the next room, talking or sometimes yelling in his direction. Experiencing more silence in a vast hangar and its following corridors than on a tiny ship was just kind of eerie.

He'd listened to Pax whispering about the ships in the hangar, but had kept himself quiet the entire time. Though he didn't want to look afraid, he tried keeping close to the older man especially, rather than Axa. Even if she did look more than capable of defending them all together.

Being told they were nearly at their destination brought other questions into his mind. "So the hyperdrive is... pretty heavy, yeah? Do we all need to help carry it? Or should I do something else?" He thought it was better to volunteer himself, as he realized with a bit of disappointment that Axa and Pax (with his augments engaged) were going to be much better at the lifting part than he was.

"Take the next right," came the voice from their comm, oddly deadpan in their tones.

Axa led them, finding the corridor opened that tiny bit, out into a shiny chrome hallway with bigger double doors at the end. The door behind them seemed to shut too loudly in the quiet of the area.

Beside Seren, Pax was frowning, concern radiating from him. Something was suddenly feeling wrong; a prickle at his neck, a tingling in his fingertips, a clenching of his stomach, he wasn't sure what.

They slipped into the lab, finding what they sought; the sleek, gleaming black drive, as big as one would expect, and larger still. Axa marched to it, turning to toss each of them a pair of gloves with rubberized fingertips.

"We all need to lift," she grunted, snapping her fingers at them both.

Pax moved to roughly the opposite side of Axa, allowing room for Seren as he pulled the gloves on. There was a strange tension, he thought. A joke that he wasn't in on, a secret he didn't know. He chewed at his lip, testing the grip he could get on the drive and finding it far easier than if they had gone without the gloves.

When they reached the drive, Seren had no time for admiration. In fact, he wasn't even thinking about it by that point. He'd been seized with a sudden urgency to get out of this situation safely. Maybe this would be the only job he'd ever go on with Pax.

With regard to the older man, Seren had actually noticed that something seemed off. He looked too concerned; maybe it was the situation getting to him, too. But why, when he'd done many jobs similar before? Or was this bigger somehow?

Whatever it was, there was no time to ask, as he was being instructed to help with the lifting. He pulled on the gloves quickly, wanting to make sure he did everything exactly as he was told. Standing on the same side of the drive Pax was, he got a decent hold on it and found it wasn't all that bad, just definitely heavy, and he had to focus most of his attention on being sure he did his part.

It was slow going, but they managed to make it out of the workshop with the drive between them, Axa whispering instructions to Seren and Pax, given that they were essentially walking backward with the thing.

Just as they approached the end of the corridor, a glaring alarm sounded over the system, the dim hall suddenly illuminated in a sickening, disorientating orange light that pulsated with the alarm.

Axa's eyes widened, and she hissed at the comm, "What's fucking happening? Merc, Zyth? What the _fuck is happening_?!"

Pax threw his hands up, his eyes wide with panic, forcing Seren and Axa to take the brunt of the drive.

"Run!" he yelled over the screeching alarm.

They were making good progress, and Seren almost felt his anxiety die down when the alarm sounded.

His immediate response was to startle so badly that he nearly dropped his corner of the drive. When Pax let go, he _did_ drop it.

_Fuck_. There was no time to think, to even breathe. The noise of the alarm was ringing through his entire head, but he could still hear what both Axa and Pax were shouting. "Where?" he gasped, gaze darting toward the doors they had entered from, then back again. "Outside? Which way?" He was trying not to panic, but seeing how frightened Pax looked...

"This way!" Axa barked, turning to a stretch of darkened hallway to their left. She had just about kept ahold of the drive, strong as she was, but dropped it as she started running, "Move it!"

As she made it through the doors, only a beat before them, they slammed shut, sealing in some sort of lockdown procedure.

Pax slammed his fists against the doors, his eyes wild, "No, no, no! The security should be _disen-fucking-gaged_!"

Distantly, there was the sound of slamming doors and heavy boots.

"Fuck... Oh, fuck," Pax spat, looking around. Lightning quick, he grabbed Seren's wrist and sprinted back to the lab that they had found the hyperdrive in. He spun the smaller man and grabbed his shoulders, "You need to go. I think-... I think you can get out that way, but you need to fucking go, we need to be separate, and it needs to be now, okay? Go! I'll meet you at the ship! "

He shoved him in the direction of a duct, turning and running back out.

Seren had started to run after Axa, as he was directed, but the doors abruptly closed behind her with yet another incredibly loud sound. He nearly fell backward, just staring at the metal panels, now blocking their way out.

Someone was coming, their footsteps loud in a nearby corridor. Seren felt real fear then that the life he had started to build for himself was about to end. Then Pax snatched his wrist, and he was running again.

He wanted to ask why they were going back to the lab, but Pax had taken him by the shoulders and was speaking to him. "But, Pax, I can't just leave-"

Staggering as he was shoved, he was nearly on the verge of following as Pax left the room. Instead, he choked back a frustrated sound as he grabbed a chair and stood on it to haul himself up into the duct. The older man surely knew best in this situation. Didn't he? But it didn't mean Seren had to like it.

He'd never felt blessed to be on the smaller side until now. Even if it was quite dark inside, there was just enough room in the duct for him to crawl along it, and it proceeded in a fairly straight line in the direction he felt sure was the outside wall of the building. _Pax will meet me back at the ship, it's all fine..._

There was a wider section of the duct ahead, with light showing through, and Seren thought it must be some kind of grate. He crawled toward it, hoping it wasn't a room where someone could look up and see him.

Pax's boots pounded and squeaked against the polished floor, all sense of stealth or care gone from his mind. The only thing he had the presence to do was engage his disguise augment. 

_The fucking enforcers... How?!_

He came across multiple doors that had been locked down, until he got turned around after a few seconds, trapped in a corridor with no way but the way he had come from, and the thudding of footsteps rapidly approaching him from multiple angles.

_They think this is a bigger job, they'd never send this many in for a simple theft... Unless the fucking hyperdrive is worth more than I thought._

It was too late. Even with his pathways clear, he would have been spotted. The doors whooshed open, and a couple of broad figures in black armored jumpsuits with angular masks stepped in, one with a blaster raised, the other with a long, thin rifle.

"**Hands up**," the one with the rifle ordered, their voice distorted and harsh under the mask.

"**He has augments, take them out**," the second one snapped, aiming his blaster.

Without a thought, the first enforcer took a shot that slammed into Pax before he had a chance to speak, feeling like he had hit an electric fence as his augments disengaged. The process was painless on someone with medical-grade surgical augments, but Pax's left him crying out and shaking, his disguise flickering out, revealing his actual appearance.

"**Hands _up_**," the enforcer barked once more, watching Pax's trembling arms raise, his hands locking behind his head.

Sure enough, the light ahead had been a grate, for cleaning access or some shit. At least, this was all that ran through Seren's mind incredibly briefly as he reached it and dared to look down.

Someone was there. It wasn't an enforcer, and Seren didn't recognize them. It had to be Pax in disguise.

Seren almost called out, but the sound of more boots made him freeze. Now there really were enforcers coming at Pax from several directions. His heart racing, all he could do was watch as one of them _shot Pax_.

Fingers clawed through the gaps in the grate, Seren's own cry was covered by all the noise going on below him. But Pax was alright, he was still standing, holding his hands up...

He had to force himself to be logical. _There's nothing you can do for him. Not right now. Maybe later, but not if you get caught, too. Get out now, get out while they're distracted, you fucking idiot. Move._

He wanted to remain still in his agony, but the thoughts drove him forward. The noise of the group below him once again muffled any sounds he made as he crawled forward once more, clumsy in his distress.

The enforcers moved around Pax carefully, still leveling their weapons at him.

"I'm not resisting, put the fucking gun down," Pax panted, rolling his eyes at the one who moved behind him, despite the fact that his heart was pounding.

"**Quiet**!" the enforcer snapped, striking him between the shoulder blades with the butt of their rifle. When Pax didn't move, beyond staggering slightly, the officer took cuffs from their belt and snapped them around his wrists, roughly manipulating his arms down.

"I don't usually let anyone cuff me so early in a relationsh-" Pax began, but was cut off by a violent wrenching of his arms that nearly lifted him from his feet, and they started marching him out. "_Fuck_, okay, okay."

"**You can be a smartass all you like, see if it helps you**," the one with the blaster said, holstering the aforementioned weapon.

They manhandled Pax out to a shuttle, meeting a handful of other officers, who determined the 'rest of them' must have escaped.

By the time Seren reached another grate at the end of the duct, he felt ready to collapse. He was so upset and confused, so cramped and tired, that it was almost hard to think.

It was necessary for him to twist apart the large fastenings keeping the grate closed, a feat that wouldn't have been possible from the outside. He just felt fortunate it wasn't bolted shut, or otherwise impossible, though it hurt his fingers terribly by the time he had it free. There were still sirens going off, which covered the sound of the grate crashing onto the walkway below with a loud _clang_. Apparently he was a little higher up than he'd hoped.

Peering down, Seren could see there was actually some kind of fake plants lining the edge of the building, he'd just pushed the grate out too far. There was no room to turn around, so he crawled out gradually, shaking with fear as he finally dropped free of the building and into the plants beneath, trying to turn and cushion himself somewhat, but still landing on his shoulder roughly. For a little while, he lay stunned, panting and having to force himself up to his feet to stagger away.

_Shipyard. I have to get to the shipyard. Pax-_


	26. Part 26: [Prima Omega, Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren knows he needs to rescue Pax, no matter what he has to do.

The shuttle ride off the station to the detainment center on Prima Omega wasn't long, but most certainly long enough for the enforcers to bark just the right number of questions at Pax for him to talk back at them, earning himself a thump in the ribs for his trouble.

The process of being retinal scanned and identified went by in a blur. He was marched into a dirty metal building, his cuffs moved to bind him at the front instead of the back, he was sat down in a hard steel chair, and "encouraged" to rest his head on the chin base, where the sickly yellow light drew slowly across each eye.

That was the moment Pax had been dreading. The recognition from the machine, the enforcer saying his name and reciting his crimes in full, being escorted to a cell, and lying down on the ground.

He was too exhausted to think straight. He'd run from his problems his whole life, caused more, and run all over again. But now, it had all come crashing down around him, and now there was no way to even do anything about it.

In the flurry of activity, he'd all but forgotten that Seren had gotten away. _Seren_ got away. The thought brought an oddly fond smile to Pax's tired face.

Seren couldn't remember getting back to the Siren Song. His shoulder ached where he'd landed on it so heavily, and he was panting as though he'd run a race. He wasn't in a rush to get away. He was in such a hurry because he wanted to help Pax.

Once he'd entered the passcode and stumbled through the airlock, he fell to his hands and knees for a time, just trying to slow his breathing. Then he could feel another pain, finally remembering he'd stumbled and fallen twice on the way back, probably skinning his knees. None of his other problems really mattered, though. What mattered was _Pax_.

What were they doing to him? He'd be taken somewhere off station, some detainment center. Could he find out which one? Could he break in, get him out... No, that was unlikely. Not even if he managed to organize a full team. Which he didn't think he could do. So far, he hadn't gotten to know many of Pax's more "criminal" friends. But he did know a few of the hackers from his time learning...

The thought made him jump up, scrambling toward his workroom. Without pausing to change out of his sweaty, dusty clothes, he flopped into the chair in front of the main computer, powering it on with trembling fingers and waiting for the screen to load.

He didn't want to stop and think about how Pax wasn't there. How he might not see the older man for _years_ if he couldn't be rescued somehow. Because the pain of doing so might consume him for too long, and he didn't have any time to waste.

Pax awoke after a few hours of fitful, stressed sleep, with a headache and a stiff neck. The cell ceiling was low, stained with moisture, and while the lighting was humming irritatingly, the holding itself was clean enough, cold steel with a dull shine.

He remained slumped in the corner, his heart aching and fluttering with his anger. Who could have done that to them? Who hated him enough to turn him over? _To put others at risk._

Pax wheeled around and thumped a fist into the wall, hard. It was Seren's first real job, and Pax could have gotten him thrown in prison. There was no lying to himself; he was fond of the younger man and didn't want to see him get hurt, or worse.

The only consolation was that Seren had gotten away, hopefully. And even that didn't help Pax.

_I should be worrying about me, here, not fucking _Seren_!_

Seren had ultimately decided that what it came down to was getting Pax out of detainment as soon as possible, before any sort of trial occurred. That meant working at a frantic pace, hardly stopping to take care of himself. Eating and drinking were afterthoughts, and the personal hygiene he usually took such great pains with was all but forgotten. He barely even slept beyond catnaps at his desk.

It hadn't been hard to find _where_ Pax was; enforcer records of detainments were easily obtainable with Seren's current level of skill. Prima Omega was naturally a place where Seren had never been, but he did enough reading to find out that there was no possible way to break anyone out of the center; at least, no one had ever succeeded. The only route he could see now was to clear Pax's name electronically by hacking into his records, and _that_... was certainly trickier than anything he had tried in the past.

His contacts were helpful to a degree. Some of them refused to even try assisting him, but several gave him decent tips that pointed him in a better direction than he had been previously. One in particular, from his first "job" with Pax, was incredibly helpful, and Seren was beginning to push past some of the security barriers that he previously thought were impossible to breach.

However, it just wasn't enough, and he continued to work on his own then, with no additional help. The fear of time running out spurred him on when he felt so tired he could hardly see.

"Azara. Meal supplement."

Pax huffed and turned away from the enforcer at his door that was pushing a container of thick, milky liquid through a hatch, having no desire to drink yet another flavorless vitamin cocktail.

"Just fucking give me a trial and send me to a proper prison," he grumbled. Given his crimes, he wasn't sure he would really have a trial, but then, he knew little of the justice system.

He didn't even know what his crimes would get him, in terms of sentencing. Fraud, bribery, possession, burglary... None of his misdemeanors had been _violent_, the list was just _long_. He sighed to himself, continually trying to use Seren's freedom as reassurance.

That, and the notion that his sentence might not be that long...

By now, it had been over a week, closing in on two. Seren was an exhausted mess, sometimes not even too sure what he was doing currently, but always knowing _why_. His body had finally reminded him that eating and sleeping were things he really ought to do more of, yet he only listened a little more than previously.

It was during one particularly long night when he had the sudden breakthrough. A way into the files he needed to change. It could have been that he was too tired to process this properly, but all he felt was an exhausted and vague sense of satisfaction.

Pax's records were wiped clean, as though he'd never done anything at all. Every file, across any station that was necessary. When the enforcers checked it now, they would see what seemed to be a mistake, and a fake retinal scan planted to cover for someone else. Whether or not they would look into it more seriously was another matter, but Seren felt almost sure they had their hands full as it was, and no one would remember one particular petty criminal out of the hundreds on Fortuna Station, just as an example.

With the quietest sigh, he took a moment to rest his head down against the desk, the only thought he now had being whether or not Pax would really show up back at the ship in the next few days.

Two days prior, Pax had been informed that he was to be investigated before his formal charging, and his stomach had clenched.

_So it's really happening._

He'd slumped to the grubby, cold floor and stared ahead for what felt like hours, just thinking about every turn he could have done differently, every mistake he had made, every being he had failed, and every being that had failed him. It hurt, knowing there was nothing to be done, but also knowing that he deserved it. Of course he did. Criminals needed charging, no matter the offense. That was how justice worked, after all.

In the two days that Pax had gradually managed to force some sort of calm over himself, he was all of a sudden barged in on, two enforcers flanking a Chrysalan man in a sharp suit. 

_Oh fuck, what is this... Do they think I've done something else?_

"Mr. Azara," the Chrysalan said, "I can only apologize for such a long investigative process, but as you must understand, the security for this sector is stretched extremely thin, and-"

Pax stopped listening after a while, staring at the Chrysalan while white noise seemed to crackle in his ears, until eventually, he _had_ to listen again.

"... As we cannot hold you, you can collect your belongings, and we will escort you back to Station Fortuna," he was saying, looking down at a padd.

"... Sorry, what?" Pax mumbled.

"There are no charges or crimes logged against your name, Mr. Azara," the Chrysalan said with forced patience, clearly thinking he was dealing with an idiot. "You are free to go, with our sincerest apologies for the undue stress caused by this misunderstanding."

Pax was indeed escorted out of the cell and, following some paperwork, off of the planet, back to the station. The tripe happened in something of a haze as Pax tried to work out just _how_ this had happened. He knew he had a record, he knew everything on it, and with a little thought, could recite it all.

By the time he got back to the station, he wanted to sleep and shower in his own ship.

More than all of that, he wanted to see Seren.

It might have been an hour or two before Seren woke up at the desk. He wiped his mouth with the back of one hand, embarrassed at himself for having been drooling (though fortunately on the desk itself, and not on the keyboard.) He was just so _exhausted_.

He hauled himself up, wearily walking through to the bathroom and stripping down before stepping into a hot shower, letting himself soak until he was nearly in danger of falling asleep again right there. He managed to get out, toweling himself dry with his damp hair still slightly dripping down his back, and wandered to the bedroom. Somehow he got out a clean pair of boxers and put them on before collapsing into the rumpled bed and burrowing under the blankets.

His last vague thought before drifting into a well-earned sleep was that the bed still smelled like Pax, and he was instantly comforted.

It was late into the evening the next day when Pax finally trudged back into the ship, finding the airlock engaged. Had Seren left? Had he actually gotten caught?

Despite his tiredness, he hurried through the ship, desperation rising in him. He still had no idea how he'd gotten out of the situation he had found himself in. Seren's computer was on, but the room empty; the device being lit up was a good sign.

Eventually, he found Seren sound asleep, safe, _in his bed_. Pax dropped the sealed bag of his few possessions, and fell into bed next to him, taking his face and cupping it gently, so overcome with emotion, so pleased that he was alright, that he started kissing him, soft and sweet, repeatedly, without a care for how long he had been asleep. He knew in the back of his mind that he shouldn't, Seren wasn't his fucking boyfriend or husband or anything, and might be horrified when he woke up, but couldn't stop.

Seren awoke to the feeling of a warm body next to him, and soft lips pressing to his. He'd been asleep for the better part of a day, but definitely felt like he could sleep even more. That didn't matter, because when he had finally roused enough, he realized that Pax was with him. Who else could it be?

His arms reached out, and he gripped the older man tightly, clinging to him and accepting the multitude of kisses that suddenly felt so very _right_. "Pax," he mumbled weakly, all his strength invested in holding him as though it was the only way to keep him there. "You made it, you're here... It worked. You really did get out. Fuck, that's so great." He let out a shaky breath, the emotion of it threatening to sweep him away.

"Don't talk," Pax hissed, their mouths still so close together. "I don't want to talk, I don't want to think about it."

His kisses continued softly, until it was clear that Seren was coming around more, when he started kissing with more passion, more intensity, fingers in Seren's soft, _soft_ hair, their bodies moving together. Pax shifted so that he was leaning over the younger man, using their mingling breaths, their touches, the promise of _more_ to forget his emotions.

Except his chest hurt with how much he wanted Seren. Not how much he wanted to fuck him, just how much he wanted him there, in his arms.

More than happy to comply with Pax's wishes just then, Seren fell silent as they continued to kiss, more passionately, easing into sensual touches. There would be plenty of time to talk about it later.

Seren couldn't think how he'd gotten by without this. He had grown so accustomed to Pax being there, to enjoying the way their bodies fit together in the bed, to the arguing and disagreements, but also to their shared times of genuine enjoyment of each other. It wasn't always about sex. He loved to be around Pax, to listen to him talk, learn about what he knew and what he liked. He couldn't know for sure, but he thought he would have been devastated to never be able to experience any of that again.

That was another thing not to think about. Seren lost himself in Pax's arms instead, clinging and needy, feeling the way his body responded with lust, and something else deep in his chest that he had never experienced before, and wouldn't put a name to for now.

Pax felt a response, unlike anything he'd felt previously. It wasn't physical, not the way he knew. Seren didn't buck up against him, eager for his cock, or anything like Pax might have expected in the past. There was a silent agreement; _we don't need to talk_. Nothing needed to be said, but at the same time, _everything_ needed to be said, because all Pax had done was think about Seren. Every spare thought had been spent on the younger man, hoping he was alright, safe.

The thought that _this_, the brush of their lips together, every touch of their bodies, every hitch of breath, that it all could have never happened again made Pax cramp up inside. He crushed their lips together harder, holding the back of Seren's head while his other hand went to his backside, squeezing the supple flesh through his underwear. Pax couldn't deal with the odd flutters in his chest for Seren, but he could deal with just fucking him.

It was just sex, he desperately told himself as he ran his fingers through tousled blonde hair again. Just sex, nothing more. Never anything more.

... Except there was a growing part of his mind that no longer believed his own bullshit.

Their kissing grew more intense, their every motion more fevered. Seren sighed as Pax ran long fingers through his hair and moaned when Pax's other hand slid to his ass, gripping it firmly. He wanted sex so badly right then, but it felt like something more than that. It wasn't just fucking for pleasure that he wanted, it was to feel connected to _Pax_, who he had missed so badly over the previous days.

There were still no words, and then somehow all their clothes were off before they were back together, desperately grinding up against each other. Despite never having been with anyone but Pax, Seren felt sure he could never have experienced this raw passion and longing with anyone else. If he was wrong, he didn't care.

Pax was putting on a condom and slicking both of them with lube. Seren lay back with his legs spread open, almost feeling like it was a dream as the older man's hard cock pushed inside him, and he wrapped his legs and arms around to pull him closer.

They had never fucked like this before. It wasn't the position, it was the _intensity_, the _feeling_. Seren was trembling as Pax built up the speed of his thrusts, and they kissed sloppily, all but moaning out each other's names. They were so hungry for each other, so needy, that they both orgasmed nearly simultaneously, Seren's soft cries of pleasure and utter fulfillment gasped straight into Pax's ear.

Seren wasn't sure if they had cleaned up beforehand, but he wouldn't find out until he woke up after spending the entire night wrapped in Pax's arms.

Pax wasn't sure if he had slept, or if he had simply spent all night listening to Seren's breathing, feeling his warmth against him, still replaying those exquisite sounds of Seren's pleasure in his head as they rested.

Tangled around Seren, still sticky from what had been a messy, lazy cleanup, Pax had time to think, his thundering heart taking longer to settle than it ever had with a simple fuck, and he couldn't understand why.

If he had slept, he awoke first, halfway to being completely alert when Seren shifted in his arms.

"Hey," he whispered simply, knowing well how little Seren was aware when he woke up.

Any other morning, Seren would have woke up in an incredibly slow way. Today, hearing Pax's voice and feeling his warmth for the first time in over a week, he roused quicker.

"Hey," he replied, sounding nearly hoarse. "Are you alright?" The memories were crashing back into his mind, and he was desperate to know that Pax hadn't been harmed during his time away. He was suddenly sliding his arms around the older man's middle, clinging to him tightly, almost desperate again. "Please tell me you're not hurt, that you're okay."

"Shh, I'm good," Pax chuckled, his heart fluttering unexpectedly at being held so close, so tightly. "Tired, hungry, my wrists hurt a bit from the cuffs, but otherwise, good."

He moved unconsciously, kissing Seren's forehead like it was the most natural thing to do, "But... I don't fucking know what happened. They just... Let me go?"

"Good," Seren sighed, the relief very evident in his voice. "I'll make you something to eat, and you can get some more rest soon." There was a strange feeling in his chest when Pax kissed his forehead, one that was new to him, but entirely pleasant.

"Oh, well," he continued, laughing weakly. "That was me. I kinda hacked into the systems, got your name cleared. It was really, really complicated. But I'm sorry it took so long, anyway." He gazed into Pax's eyes, studying him as though he had been starved for the sight. Pax would be able to see how tired Seren still looked, even after sleeping for nearly a day and a half.

"Nah, don't do that, let's sleep some more and then go get a sandwich or something," Pax said, but what Seren told him next made him sit up, looking down at the younger man with confusion, and what initially looked like anger, but as he spoke, it was more obviously concern.

"You did _what_? Seren, you--... That's... Well, I imagine that's pretty fucking illegal! I told you to run so that you wouldn't end up tangled in this shit," he mumbled, rubbing his chin as he thought about it. "You can't be traced, can you?"

He didn't know much about that side of things, his friends usually did that bit if there had ever been any to do, but he remembered they were usually at less risk.

"You have to tell me that there's no way you'll be caught," he said, unknowingly resting his hand on Seren's arm. "And... _why_? Why the hell would you risk your own freedom for me?"

Seren rolled his eyes, though it was more an automatic reaction than actual exasperation. "No shit, it's _illegal_. I did run! And no, I can't be traced. Not in the slightest. There's no way they're getting back to my location if they ever do figure out something's not right. I'm not convinced they ever will."

He glanced down at the hand on his arm with a weak smile. "I won't be caught. I had to figure out most of it on my own, but I made especially sure I wouldn't be traced. I checked it with some of our contacts so I could be completely sure. Of course, I didn't tell them why I needed to know, so they wouldn't be able to tell anyone either. As for why..."

Seren's gaze dropped and he stared at the bed, eyes mostly lidded so he couldn't see Pax. "I knew, as soon as you were caught. I knew I had to get you back, I couldn't wait for years until they released you. I just... You know..." His voice had gone so quiet that it could barely be heard. "I didn't think I could live without you."

It seemed like such a dramatic thing to say. Surely he would have gone on living, tried to keep the Siren in some kind of shape in the meantime. But he hadn't _wanted_ that to happen. He wanted to be with Pax.

Pax grunted, but as with Seren, it was almost performative, without any real irritation behind it. "Well, I don't fucking know when it comes to your computer shit!"

Once the younger man started speaking again, however, Pax remained silent, listening with an almost painful intensity, his gaze boring into Seren's face, though that couldn't be seen.

Seren wanted him back. He hadn't wanted to be without him for the years Pax would have been in a facility, that's what he had said. Seren had fucking said _he couldn't live without Pax_.

The purple-haired man remained deathly silent for a long time, his mind awash, and his stomach cramped with it all. What did it even mean? Why would Seren even say it? He had never experienced such a swell of conflicting emotion in him before. Pax wanted to turn tail and run away, disgusted and scared by the weakness he felt for the man in front of him, but he was also confused and relieved that Seren said something so... Well, _that_, to him.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Pax said weakly, his voice barely a whisper.

Seren's gaze snapped up quickly, worried. He saw the way Pax was looking at him, and he could feel his stomach sinking in the anticipation of disappointment. _Maybe he doesn't feel the same way. Maybe he could live without you, and you're a fucking idiot._

"I just..." His voice trailed off as he looked away again, needing more time to collect himself. "It means what I said. I don't want to be without you. I want to go on living here, and I don't ever want to leave. I know, I know it's fucking dumb. Eventually you might want me gone. But I... care about you, and in a way, I guess I wanted to pay you back for helping me out in the beginning. I just can't stand the thought of you not being here. Almost two weeks was too long for me to go without hearing you scream about dumb shit and make stupid jokes, I guess."

Maybe trying to make light of it would help. But now his heart was heavy with worry, when he had just been so elated to have Pax back in his life.

Pax's heart was thumping hard, his eyes wide as he listened, still visibly shaken by the ordeal.

"I-"

The words failed him completely. He shifted back, the physical distance he was putting between them entirely at odds with what he actually wanted, which was to cling Seren close and try to tell him the same thing, but that course of action had his heart beating harder. He couldn't. Pax Azara didn't _do_ that shit, he fucked and ran, he had never been worth more.

"I missed you," he managed eventually. "And... I don't want you gone. Not even when you yell at me like a little brat. So. Yeah. I don't wanna think about us being apart."

_Please be enough. Please be enough for him to stay..._

"I do _not_ yell at you like that," Seren huffed, only superficially annoyed. The fact was, maybe he really did sometimes.

Pax had shifted further away from him, and the younger man could feel his stomach clench with the action, but he respectfully did not move closer again. There was something about the way Pax was acting, like a skittish animal that wanted to be friendly but didn't know exactly how. Maybe he just didn't know how to express himself properly; Seren recalled he had never had a boyfriend, either.

"I'm glad to know you missed me, though. We don't have to think about it. All we need to think about is staying together. Right? I want to stay." He offered Pax a little smile, moving his hand close enough for him to take, but no further. "Oh, but also you should maybe think about actually _thanking me_ for saving your pathetic ass. Me, the newbie." He grinned then, which felt much more easy and natural.

Seren's hand was right next to Pax's, this little gesture of closeness that Pax almost reciprocated, but couldn't quite. Instead, his pinky finger touched Seren's, just enough to be deliberate.

"Fuck you, you're the one who wanted to come on a real job. That's the reality, you can get arrested!" he hissed, slapping Seren's hand away, but there was a telltale smirk, there in an instant and gone in a flash, that suggested he was also slipping back into his more natural state.

"How's this for a thanks, then?" he laughed, cupping Seren's face with both hands and kissing him firmly, but in an almost chaste manner.

Seren hadn't thought Pax would move his hand at all, but did well at hiding his surprise when their little fingers touched with obvious intention. Suddenly he was able to breathe again, and his heart was pounding with joy at _some_ kind of confirmation, tiny as it might be.

Then he was laughing at what Pax said, not minding when their hands separated again. "Oh yeah? It's not _my_ reality. You're the only one between us who's gotten arrested. And it's gonna stay that way! Who knew you were such a shitty criminal? Looks like you need to learn a few things from me." He was smirking widely, loving to taunt the older man as he seemed to. It was always playful, but he also felt sure there was an erotic undercurrent to it, even if he wasn't able to explain why.

He fell silent as Pax kissed him, trying not to let his sudden emotion show in his eyes. However, he couldn't help but blush. The kiss had felt... different. "Oh, well," he chuckled, "I guess that's pretty good. Add in some more amazing sex later, and I'll call it even. But for now, you want to sleep some more? Or go get that sandwich? Either's good for me. I'm as hungry and tired as that time I was broke," he sighed.

Pax was relieved for their usual joking manner to be building back up, and he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Let's eat. In bed," he said with a tired, but enthusiastic grin. "Sandwiches, in bed, then a nap. Sex when I've recovered, hm?"

"Sandwiches in bed?" Seren smirked, though he didn't reject the idea. "I don't know, just don't drop crumbs all over and make a mess out of the sheets, you know I hate that." He was teasing, yet also serious. "Can't imagine you needing to rest before sex, though. Hang on, let me get the food for you, I've been in bed for a while already."

He got up, hurrying off to handle getting them something to eat, his face flushing warm at the memory of last night. It hadn't been _just sex_, it had been... Something else. He would never forget that moment as the start of everything seeming different, despite also being mostly the same.


	27. Part 27: [Siren Song]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren trusts Pax with some of his deepest desires, but they both happen to enjoy themselves.

With Pax returned home and safe, their days had almost gone into a pattern. Seren had begun to realize how much more often they were together, and how much more often they were in bed with each other. He didn't ask to go on any more jobs with Pax, and he wasn't invited, either. He was happy enough to do his hacking, and that was all. Even though he had questioned the older man on what exactly had gone wrong, he seemed reluctant to speak about it, and Seren had eventually given up.

There was a certain restlessness within him, however. An idea that, once sprouted in his mind, hadn't ceased to grow. Something that wasn't quite enough, that he wanted more of. Seren spent a long time debating it, carefully planning all the details, and finally knew he had to talk to Pax. It was important.

"Hey."

Even that simple word had sounded awkward, and Seren shuffled his feet slightly as he peered around at Pax, who was doing some work with the Siren's engine. It seemed a good place to discuss, where it would be harder for him to run away. "Do you have a minute? I really need to ask you something... important."

The days had been good. Real good, actually. Pax wasn't sure when he got completely comfortable with Seren around, but then, he also wasn't sure if he'd been uncomfortable with him around for a long time now. Each night they curled up together, sometimes cuddling, but mostly just in the same bed in a way that just felt... Good. Even when they didn't end up fucking, which Pax definitely didn't know could happen.

The Siren was getting a little seized up, sitting in the docks of the station, and so Pax had decided to do minor maintenance. There was a thumping, aggressive techno song playing (quieter than he would have liked, but Seren complained too much when it was loud) on his comm next to him, which he paused when Seren approached.

"Uh...? Sure, cutiepie, what's up?" he said, pulling away from the engines with grubby hands, wiping them on his equally grubby old trousers.

Seren's mouth suddenly felt dry. He licked his lips, glancing away from Pax and looking at the comm instead, which had thankfully been turned off. That music was so obnoxious.

"So, I want to talk, and... Actually, maybe we should go have a seat somewhere. It may be too important to just stand here and talk about it. Is that alright? It's about... About us."

He shifted his gaze to the floor, beyond worried. Would Pax laugh at him? Decide he wanted nothing to do with Seren after all, and send him away? Why was this so hard to do?

Pax felt a ball of cold anxiety settling into the pit of his stomach the more Seren spoke. _Important shit about _us_? Fuck._

He rubbed his chin with the back of his wrist and stared hard at Seren for a long moment.

"Sure...?" he said carefully. He stood and gestured to the living space above them from the engine room.

They sat at the cramped table with Pax trying desperately to sit casually, but his shoulders were squared and tense.

"So. Uh, what's up?" he said quietly.

They were sitting now, at least. Seren didn't fully relax, resting his arms on the table but glancing around nervously. It didn't look as though Pax was too happy, either. Maybe he should just forget about it if the conversation was doomed from the start.

Regardless, he cleared his throat and nodded. "Um... Yeah. I know this is weird and all, but I'd like you to listen. And if you think I'm so weird that you'd rather be rid of me, then you can just kick me out the airlock." He chuckled weakly, his attempt to lighten the mood falling flat even for himself. "So... We've been together for a while now, right? Gotten used to what we like, for the most part. And I've noticed that..."

He had trailed off, noting Pax was looking alarmed, before hurrying on. "Uh, right, I'll hurry, so I don't waste too much of your time with this. I've noticed during sex, a lot of the time we're sorta... kinky. Is that the right word for it? Heh, I dunno." Seren winced slightly, deciding he sounded absolutely _fucking lame_. "I've given a lot of thought to what I like, and what else I'd like to try, and I know this is sudden, but I wanted to ask you."

Inwardly, he was cringing at himself. "Uh. Would you ever even just consider... Being my dom?"

There had to have been a better way to ask. Now that those particular words were out, he fell silent, his face starting to burn as he wanted nothing more than to _hide_.

Pax stared hard at Seren as he began to talk. What the fuck even was this? His mind was already abuzz with horrifying assumptions, but those assumptions were almost abstract; Seren wanted to discuss something, but it would be bad, and mean bad things for both of them.

He hadn't, however, been expecting it to be _that_.

Pax had done things that could be considered _kinky_ and _dominant_ with other partners, but nothing quite like what he did with Seren, and those things had never quite done what they did to him when he did them with Seren. Still, his stomach clenched violently. Seren wanted him in a more... Regular capacity. There would be a label on their relationship, even just one aspect of it, and that was petrifying.

He shifted in his chair, looking down as he idly played with a loose thread on his trousers (when did that get there?).

"You... Uh. Sure. Yeah, I mean, we have sex a lot, you seem into certain stuff. Makes sense for you to try new things safely with me before you go out and try them with someone else," he said, forcing a smirk even if the idea of Seren fucking someone else made him feel... weird.

Despite Pax not immediately finding him strange or laughable, Seren could feel how warm his face remained. No matter how much he wanted this, apparently, he was still somewhat nervous about making it known.

"Really? Well... Yeah, that does make sense. That's why I asked you, I mean. It's kinda scary to ask someone I don't know that well to dominate me, might as well be someone I trust, first. Mostly." He returned the smirk, even though he didn't want to think about letting someone else do it. He wanted Pax to do it. He just didn't think it was a good idea to tell him that.

"But only if you actually want to," he said more earnestly, leaning slightly forward over the table toward Pax. The older man's current demeanor still made him worry that what he was asking was wrong. "I mean, if the thought's unappealing, you don't have to. And it doesn't have to be super formal. I'm not going to start calling you 'sir' or 'daddy' or anything." The idea of it brought a soft snort of laughter; it didn't feel right to call Pax those things. "So... Just making sure you really want to. And if you do, I can tell you what I'd like to do with it."

Now it was his turn to look away, absently picking at the top of a fingernail as we waited for the response. He dreaded having the idea rejected, but if Pax wasn't into it, then it wouldn't be fun anyway.

Despite the tremulous roiling in his stomach, Pax managed to laugh a little at the notion of being referred to as anything like _that_. Why was the idea of the whole thing simultaneously weird, exciting, and terrifying to him?

"Stop fucking picking," he grunted, for something to fill the silence while he processed what exactly he was agreeing to. Really, it wouldn't change _much_ about what they did, aside from putting a label on it, which they perhaps should have done before they got into some of the things they'd done.

"I said yes, did I? Let's... See how it goes. It's not a contract, I can say no to stuff, and so can you," he added. With a tone that seemed much more like his usual self, he added, "So go on, what's pushing your buttons? What do you want me to do to you?"

As if already eager to obey, Seren immediately stilled his hands, squeezing them tightly together instead. They could _try_ it. That was more than enough for now.

"Yeah, thanks. No contract, we're just testing stuff out. So, I guess I should just say first..." The younger man squirmed a little, obviously nervous about sharing something so personal. "I've always thought of myself as submissive, I suppose. Not that I act like it day to day, I'm sure you've noticed. But it turns me on in most of my fantasies. When I was younger, I would have daydreams about being dominated by men who're bigger than me. It is what it is, I guess." There was no way he was admitting to specific details of those daydreams.

Seren bit his lip a moment, lowering his eyes. "Well, sometimes... Like, I really enjoy it when you hold my wrists, pin me down. I kind of want to try something even more serious. Like handcuffs... And eventually being tied up completely. I want to be helpless for you to do whatever you want to me." He cleared his throat but still couldn't meet Pax's gaze. "I love it when you pull my hair, tell me how filthy I am. So a little bit of verbal abuse... But not a lot."

He shifted, trying to get more comfortable, but only looking as though he was still squirming. "Um. I really like collars, and- And leashes." A blush was creeping up his face again, slowly but surely. "I want to be used roughly, lifted and pulled and pushed around, in any way you want me. And uh... Dunno if you've ever spanked anyone, but I kinda want to see how that feels." Pax's large hands were so good at giving him pleasure, but he was always imagining just what else they could do to him, and what kind of pleasure he could receive through pain...

_Fuck_, but he was horny now.

Seren immediately doing as Pax asked felt oddly satisfying, and for the first time since they'd sat down, he felt his nervousness wane. Just a little, though.

And _fucking hell_ the more Seren spoke, the more Pax became intrigued, his eyes widening. He'd definitely played around with being rough, he'd had so many encounters with pretty little things (and some big pretty things) who got a kick out of him pulling on their hair, and the like. He'd always obliged, simply because the reactions were enough to do it for him too, but with Seren...

It always felt different. His reactions were fucking hot, of course they were, but the act of showing ownership over his body, having so much control of his pleasure, was unbelievable. The ideal that Seren wanted to take that even further was almost dizzying, intoxicating.

"Fuck. You've thought it through, cutiepie," he teased, for lack of a better reaction as he subtly shifted, half-hard just from the discussion. "I've spanked people. Nothing serious, not how I think you're asking for it, but... I guess we need to establish some stuff, though. Like, a safe word?"

"Yeah, I... Yeah," Seren mumbled, sheepish but starting to smile. Pax's reaction was better than he had hoped for. "I've been thinking about it for a while now. Trying to figure out what to say, in case I needed to convince you."

He nodded, a little smirk forming as he listened. "Oh, I'd be asking for it seriously," he chuckled. "Of course, since I've never done it before, I dunno if I'll like it. But I like the concept of trying it. And I'm already way ahead of you. My safe word would be... Uh, it's 'lucky.' I just don't say that word too much, that's all." He could feel his face warm again but hoped Pax wouldn't connect the use of this word to the casino where they had first met. It felt too sentimental, but he couldn't give up the idea of using it.

"We wouldn't do this stuff all the time," he continued cautiously, though he wasn't sure if that was true or not, either. "And we can't just like... Try it out immediately. I think. Would I need to ask you when I wanted it...?" The one issue Seren hadn't figured out was how to initiate what they would be doing together. Would asking be too awkward and not arousing?

"Well, damn, you don't need to convince me when it comes to having nasty sex with you," Pax snorted, but there was something in the back of his mind that made him wonder if he'd have needed any convincing to do anything for Seren now.

"Ask in the moment. Like... If we get hot and heavy, just say 'tie me up' or fucking 'cuff me' or whatever? Saves us organizing it and making it... Weirder. Right?" he added with a shrug, grinning, that little bit more like his usual self again.

"I was afraid there were certain types of nasty sex you didn't enjoy, but I guess I should have known better," Seren scoffed back at him, rolling his eyes.

He nodded, thinking it over. "Yeah, sounds right. There's no way organizing it in advance is appealing to me. I'll either ask or... Well, if you want to just do something, spur of the moment. If you feel it. I can always use the safe word if I don't like it." Leaning back in his chair, he eyed Pax for a moment before looking away again. "Tonight, uh... Maybe we'll hang out. I need to buy a few things this afternoon." The idea of hunting down a pair of handcuffs was a little embarrassing, but he knew there were plenty of shops selling sex toys on the station. Of course, he had yet to visit any. "Let me rephrase that, _please_ can we hang out tonight?" Maybe he was hopelessly aroused now and desperate, but not enough to come right out and literally beg for them to fuck.

Pax smirked, feeling much more in control in that moment. It was obvious Seren was wanting to try some stuff out that night, and truthfully, Pax was more than happy to give it a shot. The sex they already had was fantastic, it stood to reason that anything Seren was super into would make it even better.

"Sure," he said finally. "But I definitely gotta finish this ship stuff, okay? Lemme get in with that while you're out shopping, and we'll do something. Sound good, cutiepie?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sure!" Seren replied, so eager that he almost knocked his chair over as he jumped up. "You handle the ship stuff, and I'll go get... Uh, things."

Already he was feeling awkward. Hopefully, it wasn't like this later. He hurried off after saying goodbye to Pax, quickly pulling his shoes on before he headed out the airlock and further into the station.

*

Buying the handcuffs hadn't been that embarrassing, actually. Even if he had been eyed by several beings who seemed interested in his appearance. The cuffs were plain metal, nothing fancy, and closed with a small key, along with having an emergency release button that he could press himself if needed. Although he lingered momentarily over certain other items, he ended up not buying anything else, deciding it could always wait. If doing something this basic didn't work out, there wouldn't be a need.

He decided to wait for Pax to come to him, sitting in his computer room and tapping at his padd rather than working. The handcuffs had been left on the bed frame, in plain sight, so it wouldn't seem weird to pull them out from elsewhere. Seren found he was trembling slightly with a small amount of nerves, but probably much more lust at what he thought could happen.

Pax had been incredibly distracted for the whole afternoon, having finally calmed his own lust over the idea, but it meant he was overthinking the prospect of them being... _dominant and submissive_ together. That they would have those exact roles for one another.

Pax had laid on his back under the controls, staring up at wiring and pistons and all that other shit, while musing. Asking someone to dominate them was... Serious. Seren _trusted_ him. That could mean nothing less than complete trust and acceptance, unless Seren was a fucking moron. Which Pax knew was not the case.

"Shit," he mumbled to himself, finally moving away from the control panel to get showered and changed, even if he hadn't been working especially effectively.

The hot water and fresh set of comfortable trousers helped, however, and he strolled into Seren's area of the ship sans shirt, still slightly damp.

Planting a hand on his desk, he leaned down and hissed, "Bedroom. Right now."

When Pax suddenly appeared, speaking to him in that demanding tone of voice, Seren froze up for a moment before he could respond. It was all he had dreamed it could be, and he was hard just from _that_.

He stood up, sneaking a glance at the older man, but obediently heading toward the bedroom, though reluctant to move away from Pax's side. Everything about him at that moment was more than appealing.

Once he was standing in the middle of the room, he stopped and turned to Pax, lifting an eyebrow. "I'm here. And?" It was beyond Seren's understanding at that moment why he had done it, but it seemed to excite him more.

Pax followed, standing in the doorway. It took him a moment to actually respond to Seren, staring at him. He'd thought as far as commanding him, but then... Nothing else.

"Take your clothes off," he said incredulously, "Quickly."

It felt horrendously awkward, and not at all how he wanted to seem, and feel. Shit, had he fucked it up already? He was _good_, he could do it, he just decided he needed to concentrate more.

"Okay," Seren replied, a little sarcastic, but starting to do as he was told. This felt weird. It shouldn't, though. Was it just the way Pax was talking...?

He didn't move as quickly as Pax seemed to suggest he wanted, but eventually he had dropped all of his clothes on the floor and stood naked and obviously still aroused in front of him. Should he say something? He wasn't sure what to say. Maybe Pax would handle it from here.

_Fuck._

"Should I cuff you now? Does it... Work better if we do more stuff first?" Pax asked aloud. Should they kiss, or was that too nice? He was cursing inwardly at how painful it was, when it shouldn't be. It was just a new way for them to fuck, wasn't it? It should be _hot_.

"Uh. I dunno. I don't think you should be asking me for advice, as the dominant one. Maybe you should have done some research this afternoon instead," Seren replied with another roll of his eyes. Was this even going to be worth it? He liked Pax either way, but he had really _hoped_...

"Just do something. I don't know, fucking grab me, pull my hair and call me a slut," he said with a smirk. "I mean, unless you can't handle that..."

Pax's expression darkened, "Are you fucking kidding me? This is your thing! I just wanted to do it fucking right, okay?"

Seren wanted him to really just... Grab him? _Fine._

He stepped forward and grabbed him by the biceps, kissing him roughly; something _he_ wanted, at least, before throwing him down on the bed.

"You ask me for something and then take that tone? You're a little brat," he snapped.

"Maybe it is, but you could have at least tried to make an effort if you were going to do it," Seren taunted, though the look on Pax's face was definitely worth his efforts. The younger man had always found Pax incredibly hot when he got angry or annoyed...

He drew in a sharp breath as Pax grabbed him, just like he wanted, and gave him a forceful kiss before shoving him to the bed. And those words... "I am not," he protested, even if he didn't mean it. "I can't help it you fucking suck at this so far. Although I have to say, this is an improvement." He looked up at Pax, not quite feeling the trembling lust and subservience he had expected by now. Even if he was definitely turned on, it felt like he needed more.

Pax grabbed him by the jaw, "Stop fucking talking. Unless... Unless you need to use the word."

He pushed the younger man down against the mattress, his motion rough, but as he did so, he felt a little spark of arousal at the sound of Seren's breath being sharply inhaled.

He grabbed the handcuffs from the frame and examined them, checking their strength and how they released.

"I don't know that you deserve this yet," he scoffed, tossing them to the floor, within reachable distance.

Seren snorted a little with laughter but didn't have an immediate response. His response physically, however, was desperate. He did like this.

Silently he watched Pax checking over the handcuffs, but gasped again and spoke loudly when they were thrown on the floor. "What- Hey! Why do I need to _deserve_ it? We were going to just use them?" he protested, halfway toward getting up and reaching for them on his own.

Planting a hand on Seren's chest, Pax leaned closer, looming over him. It was coming more naturally now, for whatever reason.

"I _said_ not a word but your safe word, kitten," he said lowly. "I'm calling the shots, and I say you don't deserve to get what you want right away."

Shrinking back as Pax touched him, Seren was finally reaching some of that trembling desire he had wanted. "But why can't I talk?" he continued, stubbornly disobeying, the safe word not even on his mind. "I should get to say what I want."

He shifted in place, though his eyes were glued to Pax leaning over him, much larger and more powerful than he was, sending a thrill through his entire body. "If I don't deserve it, then what do I have to do?" he whispered, still staring.

"I'm two seconds away from gagging you, slut," Pax said, holding Seren's gaze. He moved to lean over him completely, grabbing him by the back of the hair and kissing him roughly once more, shifting to grind their hips together, which started to bring him to full hardness.

As he did, he grabbed Seren's wrist, pinning it over his head, starting to feel better about how it was panning out, and hoping to get the same sort of feeling from Seren.

Being gagged was actually appealing. Seren thought they would definitely need to try it next time.

This time, however, he only whimpered in a way that was both desperate and horny. He wanted to talk so badly, but he also wanted this, the physical contact of their hips, the sharp pull on his hair and hard kiss, his wrist being pinned down... For now, he would let this continue to play out. Pax would eventually give him more and more of what he wanted, he just had to be patient, somehow.

"I could just turn you over and fuck you _my_ way, without even listening to what you want," he hissed against Seren's lips, fully into what he was doing by then. It was so easy, and so fun, and he could feel that Seren was responding too. "But I'm not going to, because I'm a _good_ dom."

He grabbed Seren's other wrist and held it with the other above his head, "If I see you move at all, I'm going to step away and leave you wanting more. Stay still."

"No" was almost on Seren's lips before he could think about it, but he whined and panted instead, shaking his head. He wouldn't mind, at this point, if he didn't get anything else; this was amazing. But he wanted more, liked being told it could be taken away from him.

It was so hard to keep still after he had been ordered not to move. Seren's muscles strained with a visible effort to hold himself in that position, eyes only half open and fixed on Pax as both arms were now being held up. He was managing, barely.

Smirking, Pax watched him struggle for a moment, the need to move obvious, but then he picked up the cuffs from the floor and held them out straight, looking down at Seren.

"Oh, so you can listen to an order. Good," he scoffed, before moving away enough to bodily roll Seren onto his stomach and snap the cuffs over one wrist, looping the chain around the bed frame and then snapping it over the other wrist. With both hands, he lifted the younger man's hips so that he was a bit more exposed and stood back to admire his work thus far.

Seren moaned, only squirming when Pax started to move him onto his stomach and began to fasten him to the bed frame using the handcuffs. This had escalated to a level which he could currently only describe as _fucking hot_.

Though he struggled against the cuffs, he had no hope of freeing himself unless he deliberately used the release. His backside was lifted up, and he was exposed and totally helpless, finally able to give in to his fantasy of being a worthless toy that only existed to be used.

"Pax," he couldn't help but mumble, muffled against the blankets.

Pax's confidence in what he was doing faltered for a second when he saw Seren struggling, tugging lightly against the cuffs. A small amount of panic welled in him, but still, Seren had not used the word. He had to trust that he would do so if he needed. He couldn't even bring himself to punish him for speaking again, though he did briefly wonder if Seren would enjoy a swift slap to his backside.

Behind Seren, there was the sound of rustling, and then a plastic click, as Pax pumped some lube onto his hand and pressed it against Seren's hole, starting to work his fingers in circles, teasing him while he started preparing.

There were no consequences for speaking, making Seren somewhat bolder. Pax had been silent for a time behind him, but Seren hadn't been that worried about it. It had never crossed his mind whether this was a good idea based on how much he trusted Pax, because he actually trusted him completely.

"Hurry," he whined softly, only made more desperate by the sounds he could hear, knowing what they were even before Pax's slick fingers teased at his hole. "I need it..."

This time, Pax didn't worry about laying a light slap, barely even a sting, on Seren's upturned ass, "What have I said about talking? Now, I don't want to hear anything but your safe word, or _please_."

He slid the first finger in, shallow and lazy, teasing Seren partly for his own enjoyment, finding his demands actually more arousing. While he had wanted to try it, to make Seren feel good, he hadn't expected it to feel so good for him too.

Seren gasped again when Pax's hand made contact with his ass, the only word he was thinking currently being "harder." But he held back, enjoying the feeling, and knowing he would be able to get more the next time if he wanted it. There was no sense in rushing anything they were doing.

Though he didn't talk, Seren did continue to whimper and moan as Pax probed into him, lightly as it was. There was nothing he could do, no way he could move to escape, and it felt so good, more _safe_ than it made sense to be.

Much as Pax wanted to tease Seren longer, his own arousal was becoming difficult to ignore. Seeing the younger man like that, making noises that, while he had heard before, he had not heard so intensely, was turning him on completely.

He flexed his finger inside, curling and coaxing more moans from him, murmuring, "You're so into this... you filthy whore."

Briefly, he wondered what sort of language was too much, and then why he _cared_ so very, very much.

Pulling at his cuffs, whining softly, Seren shook his head as though to deny it. But it was true, every word of it. He was into it, he felt like a filthy whore... And he wanted it to continue. He wanted more words from Pax, but couldn't ask for them, being forbidden to speak.

Instead, the sounds he made increased as Pax's finger moved inside him in increasingly delightful ways. He actually dared to try swaying his hips forward, hoping his painfully hard cock would graze the bed for some kind of friction. He was reaching that point of true desperation, one he had only achieved in his fantasies before.

"Are you ready to beg for my cock?" Pax asked with a low growl. Dirty talk, he could do. Oh, he could do that much well. Maybe he could bring the elements Seren wanted with more words until he was better with the rest.

"I can tell it won't be long until you're whining for me inside you, cutiepie. The way you've whined for me so many times before. You're so weak for me," he whispered.

Seren whimpered again, wiggling his backside just slightly. Pax was asking him questions like that, and he couldn't keep himself from talking. Maybe Pax wanted him to now.

"Yes... please," he panted, the truth of it obvious in his tone. "I need your cock, I need to be filled. Please..." He wasn't going to admit he was weak for the older man. Of course, he was, and it could be that they both knew it.

Seren whimpering the word _please_ not once, but twice, had Pax all but tearing his own trousers off, fumbling for their condoms and hastily applying more lube to both of them before climbing behind Seren, positioning against him and sweeping both hands over Seren's back to his hips before entering slowly, so slow as to be frustrating to them both.

"Why're you still teasing me?" Seren moaned, desperate and needy as Pax prepared them both and began to slide in far, far too slowly. He enjoyed the feeling of being unable to move as this was occurring, almost sure it was heightening the sensation he was receiving.

"Fuck me," he whined again, tugging on the cuffs. "_Please_!"

Pax again gave Seren a light smack on his backside, "I don't remember you saying this was part of what you wanted. And you forget that I'm in charge."

He continued to move slowly until he was completely buried inside, their hips flush, and he finally started thrusting back and forth after only a bit of adjustment time.

"Obviously fucking was part of it!" Seren snapped, though he was encouraged by the smack he received, and didn't say anything else, flexing his fingers uselessly.

When Pax was fully in and thrusting, he was only partially satisfied. He wanted release more than anything, especially after having been built up so much for this first time. He decided to increase the intensity of his whimpering and begging little cries, hoping to spur Pax on and get him to climax quicker, when he might also be allowed to come.

Pax reached forward, grabbing Seren's hair and pulling it hard, harder than he really meant to, but his thrusts were still rhythmic, not quite close enough to coming just yet.

His free hand went around to grab Seren's aching cock, stroking with every thrust as he leaned to rest against Seren's back, his breath hot over his pale skin.

Seren felt sure Pax had never pulled his hair so hard before, but he gave a sharp moan of pleasure, enjoying it fully. Next time he would definitely tell the older man he wanted everything so much harder.

It felt good to finally have Pax moving inside him, and the added touch to his erection felt a little too amazing on top of that. "Fuck, I'm gonna come," he whispered, already starting to tremble.

Seren shaking beneath him, the little confirmation that he was enjoying it, that his orgasm was imminent, was enough that Pax was soon bucking his own into Seren, pressing into his shoulder and clamping his teeth down into his shoulder, managing to spit out "Do it" as his hand pumped up and down on Seren's cock.

Feeling Pax come inside him, and the teeth sinking lightly into his flesh, Seren felt the last of his reserve melt away. He finally came so hard in Pax's hand that he almost felt overstimulated, writhing through his orgasm for longer than usual.

"Fuck, Pax... fuck," was all he could gasp out, his head empty of anything but pleasure, and the fact that Pax had been the one to bring him to it.

Holding Seren, supporting him so he didn't injure his wrists with his stimulation, felt strangely intimate. Almost too much for Pax, and he tensed slightly, but relaxed as he felt Seren's motions slowing.

"You, uh... You okay?" he asked, slowly moving up off of him, one hand fumbling for the handcuff release.

Coming down from the intensity of his pleasure, Seren had sagged down slightly, grateful that Pax was there to hold him. He loved this feeling, and it was only the first time.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine," he stammered, also glad that Pax was releasing him now. "I just need to lie down... Rest. Cuddle me?" he asked weakly, hoping he didn't sound too pathetic, but barely caring.

With Seren still face down, Pax could only hope his decidedly red face wasn't radiating heat. He really wanted to cuddle after such a thing?

More to the point, _why did Pax want to do it too_?

He shifted onto his back and took Seren's hands to examine his wrists, and while they were a little red, they were not hurt. Before he knew what he was doing, he kissed them idly and pulled him into a vaguely awkward embrace.

"Sure. Let's nap," he offered quietly.

Seren could feel his heart beating harder when Pax looked over his wrists, kissing them almost affectionately. He knew he shouldn't do it, but again he found himself hoping that maybe one day the older man would grow even closer to him. It was something that barely registered a lot of the time, but at a time like this...

"Okay," he said drowsily, too tired to protest as he tried to nestle further into Pax than he currently was. He had next to no energy left, anyway. "You were good, by the way. I mean, later on. At first you were shit." The words were tired and had none of Seren's usual sarcasm, making them sound much more like a compliment.

He wasn't aware of any sort of reply. His last thought before slipping into a strangely exhausted sleep was to wonder when Pax might be ready for more, and what could be done to make it even better for both of them.


	28. Part 28: [Siren Song, The Lady Fortune]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seren finds himself in serious trouble at a casino, as well as with Pax afterward. At the same time, he finds almost exactly what he's been looking for.

Even with this new "dynamic" between them, Seren tended to get restless. He liked being around Pax in general, and also the _amazing_ kinky sex and everything else that went with it, but...

"Can't focus," he mumbled to himself, pushing back in his computer chair after shutting the system down completely. It was really bad when he couldn't work. He needed the credits, and a restless mind meant he wouldn't be making any.

He remained in his chair, doing nothing for at least ten minutes, which was always odd for someone who kept busy most of the time. Then he stood up and headed to the bedroom and the closet, rummaging around for a nicer pair of trousers and his favorite blue jacket. Dressed just a _little_ fancier than usual, he crept out to make sure Pax wasn't around.

Actually, he had no idea if the older man was there. It was later in the evening, so it could be possible Pax was off on a job, or out with friends, or anywhere. Seren was all but tiptoeing toward the bathroom, still glancing in every direction, planning to at least run a comb through his hair and make sure he looked decent before heading out to do what he had planned. Maybe this was being overly cautious, but he wasn't all too sure Pax would like that plan.

As it turned out, Pax was quite enjoying cohabiting with Seren, and oddly, even more so now that they were in something of an arrangement, even if said arrangement was an odd one. Really, it was the first time Pax had been in any sort of situation with another for so long, and while that information set him on edge initially, it wasn't anything formal. Not like they were boyfriends or anything. It was better he didn't think about it that way. He preferred his thoughts remain firmly on how hot their next fuck would be.

He was just returning to the ship, a large cup in hand and some excess credits in his pockets (from a legit moving and handling job, too), having bought some groceries for the week. The airlock swished open just as Seren was heading through the corridor.

"Oh, hey. What're you up to?"

Seren froze immediately, turning his head in the direction of Pax at first, then abruptly away again.

"Uh... Hey. Not much." He'd thought Pax wouldn't be around. Now he had no idea what to say. "Nice to see you."

After this horribly awkward and unconvincing statement, Seren resumed walking to the bathroom, inwardly praying that Pax would just let it go at that.

"Uh... sure. You too?" Pax laughed, running his hands through his hair as he made his way through to the cramped kitchen to begin unpacking the groceries, humming to himself. After a moment of doing so, and listening to Seren puttering around in the bathroom and bedroom, wherever he was, Pax called over his shoulder, "So, what're you all dressed up for?" 

Of course, he wasn't _fancy_ dressed up, but it was definitely a bit more well dressed than his usual attire. Seren was pretty neat in general, though, so Pax wondered if he'd misinterpreted. When had he even started taking so much notice of Seren's _clothes_?

Pax had let him carry on, so Seren made the most of the time to get his hair combed decently (at least what he could do with it) and studied himself in the mirror for a few moments. The strangest thought to put on makeup, the way Pax had done to him when they'd first met, crossed his mind for a brief moment before he dismissed it. It was strange, though.

He moved to the kitchen, relaxing a bit more the longer Pax kept talking to him. Maybe he'd made a big deal out of nothing. "Oh, just thought I'd go out for a while. Hit a casino or something, maybe one I've never tried before. Nothing exciting." With effort, his tone had remained casual and relaxed. Why _not_ tell Pax about it? Why did it matter? That last time had been ages ago, possibly even forgotten by now.

Pax frowned and turned around, closing the cupboard as he did so. He leveled his furrowed brow at Seren and folded his arms, "A _casino_? Is that really the wisest idea?"

Despite the concern he felt, Pax also felt a flare of anger; why the fuck did he even care? It wasn't about the UCs he'd helped with, surely, because that had really been all Seren's ship, even if Pax had negotiated the additional credits for him. It wasn't like Seren was an _addict_ or something. Nor were they partners. Pax couldn't work out why it worried him so.

A strangely submissive feeling made Seren squirm for a moment before he shook his head. It was just the way Pax was talking to him... He had always been weak for that kind of stuff.

"No, not the wisest. But just for fun. I'm not in any danger of going into debt again or something! Like I'd be stupid enough to let that happen." Still acting casual despite how he had felt his heart rate speed up, he leaned against the doorframe. "There's this one... Lady Fortune. You heard of it? It's not that bad. Well, not high-class, but still. They have Cybriss and all that shit, but the décor is pretty unique from what I've read about it. I'd like to take a look, that's all."

Pax's frown deepened, and he nodded, taking a soda from the fridge and popping the tab. "Yeah. Yeah, I fuckin' know it, kitten. Do _you_ know they have very strict rules on debts? You'd better make sure you have all the UCs you wanna take, and you don't borrow from the house, okay?"

Lady Fortune sounded glamourous, but Pax had definitely heard about people having their arms broken if they run up big enough debts. Whether that was rumor to prevent that sort of thing happening, Pax wasn't too sure, but he had certainly heard of other places dishing out nasty punishments.

"Yeah, I know that," Seren snapped. He didn't know that, but it wasn't important. "I have everything with me that I need, and I don't plan on borrowing. You can trust me, right? I haven't been gambling in forever. I'm not addicted anymore, and I clearly won't go back again. It's just something I want to do. I'm not a fucking idiot, alright? I can take care of myself."

He wasn't sure why he was getting so riled up and defensive, except part of it felt kind of good. For the moment, he didn't move, glaring at Pax as though daring him to say anything otherwise.

"Not addicted? You know that doesn't fucking _work_, right?!" Pax snapped. "You don't stop being a fucking addict!" He reddened about the ears as he remembered the years and years he'd been clean, but that drugs still presented a temptation to him. Incredibly minor, and nowhere near as terribly as they had years ago, but he still occasionally felt it, usually if he was already partying (as with when he and Seren first met.) It was one of the reasons he liked to drink so regularly and casually; it was a controlled vice, one he knew his limits with.

"I mean, do what you fucking want," he said, loud but with a forced smile, "I'm not your dad. But I just thought maybe I'd offer you some advice, okay?"

"I-"

For a moment, Seren faltered and started to rethink his decision. Of course he remembered what Pax had told him about his own addiction from years ago. It made him feel a little bad to have said what he did, but then he brushed it aside without thinking.

"Well, you're right. I'll do what I want, with or without your advice. I didn't fucking ask, though. I told you I was going to a casino. You're not my dad, true. You're also not my dom. You can't order me." His voice had quietened on the last sentence as he gave Pax a pointed stare, another sort of challenge that made his stomach flip around inside him wildly. Pax wasn't _formally_ his dom. Seren just wished he was.

Pax's expression fell, but not into one of sadness, just cold indifference that did nothing to reflect the conflict inside. He didn't really know why he felt hurt by such _fucking stupid_ words, but he did. He shrugged.

"So go then. I'll be here when you come back fucking broke," he said dismissively, "Don't come crying to me."

He turned away, chewing his lip. He'd only been trying to keep Seren safer, so why did he throw that away just because Seren brushed him off? He didn't know, but where he was gripping the can, it crumpled inwards slightly.

Seren watched Pax another moment, frowning, but thinking maybe he had pushed too far. He wanted _more_ of a reaction, to be pulled back and warned away from the casino in no uncertain terms. Since it was clear he couldn't get that, he sighed loudly instead.

"Oh, fine. I won't go. Will that make you fucking happy? I'll go somewhere else. The arcade or something. I don't want you to be upset about it, even though it's my choice. Better?"

Seren was still going to the casino. Actually, he was being rather rude and dismissive of Pax's feelings without meaning to be, his head just not in the right place.

"Whatever. Yes," Pax hissed. "I'd-... _for fuck sake_... I'd worry less, okay? Just... there's low stakes machines at the arcade, right?"

He finally settled himself down, or at least enough that he might not look so worked up, and he turned to lean against the counter. "You look good. Have fun," he finally managed to mumble, folding his arms around himself, having set his drink down. Maybe he'd get takeout and watch some races, or something. It was rare he got time alone in the ship, after all. It would be fine.

"You don't have to worry about me," Seren snorted. "Like I said, I can take care of myself." He just didn't completely want to. And Pax's reaction to him saying he wouldn't go was actually sort of touching. "Yeah, I guess. They're not really fun, but fine."

He hesitated just another moment, trying to convince himself Pax was alright. The older man would never know he had continued to the casino, so it didn't matter, but still. "Oh... Thanks. I'll try."

With those few words, he slipped out toward the airlock, his heart pounding in his ears for some reason. He just hadn't been to a casino in a while. That was why.

*

The Lady Fortune was definitely a sight, that much was true. From the outside, it looked like a brand new casino, shiny and golden, but the interior showed its age with somewhat retro patterns on the carpet and outdated versions of the machines that still carried a certain charm. This style of "retro" was not anything Seren enjoyed, but he could appreciate it as a sort of museum of casinos from years gone by on Fortuna. The Lady herself was an enormous golden statue of a human female in a reclining pose, surrounded by piles of fake credits. Tacky as hell, and Seren only smirked at it before continuing inside after having his ID checked.

His heart was still racing. Nothing had gone wrong; he hadn't been paying enough attention to see if he'd been recognizable to anyone. It had been so long, why would anyone care? He moved toward the bar, trying to get more of a feel for the room.

The Lady Fortune offered many a different game for the discerning gambler, including some older games to match the tacky retro feel: Earth blackjack, Chrysalan pickup, and a few games that no one recognized, but the owner insisted were real retro games.

It was at one of these seemingly made up games that a sleek black-scaled Syszik with white hair turned from his game when he caught the strip of blue hair. Was that...? No, surely not. He hissed and went back to his game, throwing a few more UCs down.

The patrons didn't seem to give Seren any mind, other than the Syszik, all too caught up in their drinking and gambling to pay attention to anyone other than their next potential credit donor.

All thought had left Seren's head by the time he was halfway across the room. He'd missed this, he knew he had. There was just a feeling about it, once he had dismissed the memory of crippling debt. That part wasn't what he would think about.

For a few seconds, he _did_ abruptly think of Pax. Seren's stomach twisted in regret; would the older man have gone with him if he'd asked instead? No, he had wanted this. Needed to come alone.

He ended up bypassing the bar and heading toward the weird games further back. Something in the corner of his eye nearly made him turn his head, a hulking figure near the wall, but the games beckoned much stronger. In fact, he couldn't tear his gaze from the machines, deciding to sit at one without even knowing what it was. It was rather strange to be so mesmerized by anything with no clear meaning at all.

The dark Syszik's red eyes widened in disbelief when the human with blue and blonde hair settled near him. What the fuck was that kid even doing, returning to _his_ casino? He remained still, watching over the top of his own machine, not yet moving.

Across the bar, Axa had also recognized the boy sitting himself down at the machine with a look that suggested he hadn't the slightest idea how to play. Interesting. She had been watching a particular Neptu barmaid with the underside of her hair shaved into a flower shape, but now, Pax's little boyfriend took her attention. Where was Pax, if the blonde was here? Had they broken up? Not that she gave a shit, but Pax had been very absent from all of the clubs in recent times, he had to be occupied with _something_. Seren was potentially that something.

Seren was chuckling to himself, just barely audible. _Shit, what is this game? It's so fucking weird..._

He continued to grin, putting in a few credits just to amuse himself. Okay, so he sucked at gambling and always had, but this seemed more like a game based entirely on chance, along with trying to remember where certain colors of cards had been placed on the virtual board in front of him. And before he knew it, he'd lost those few credits.

"No big deal, it's cheap," he mumbled, already invested enough to try again. As he was moving down to add a couple more UCs, he did happen to glance up in time to see an interesting-looking Syszik peering over at him. Did he know this Syszik?

No, surely not. Surely it wasn't...

He ducked his head closer to the machine, hopefully out of sight, trying to tell himself he did not remember at all.

It seemed, however, that the Syszik had already definitely spotted him, and was making his way over. He scowled down at him.

"Oh, I thought it wasss you, Ssseren," he snarled, "So you _do_ remember me?" He put both of his scaled hands down at the table, looming over Seren for a moment, "Interesting you wanted to hide from me. Maybe you remember the fifty creditsss you owe me?"

It was too late, obviously. Seren had very little thought that anyone would find him from those days, but he should have thought about it harder.

"Oh. Hello. I wasn't hiding." Except he was. Seren swallowed hard, looking up at the snake-like being above him. "I, uh, remember you. I don't remember your name. Funny how that works?"

Mouth suddenly dry, he shook his head. Fifty credits was a petty amount to be holding onto, but apparently the Syszik liked to keep all of his in order. "You, uh. You want them, I guess?" Seren thought he couldn't even remember anyone he might still owe. The casinos had all gotten their money, but the small loans here and there...

The Syszik, whom Seren knew to be named Myszil, looked incredulous.

"_Yeah_ I want my fucking money," he hissed. His long tongue flickered out for a moment, as if tasting for Seren's fear, but Myszil tended to do it to unnerve humans. It was so easy to do so. He moved his hands, lifting them to crack his knuckles, "Or maybe you don't have them... Wouldn't that be a shame?"

Seren's mind was still searching for a name, even as he stared at the Syszik's tongue with just a hint of concern. It was so unsettling, how he did that.

"Uh. Myszil." That was it. "No, don't worry! I have the credits." He hastily reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a handful of UCs, coming up with sixty instead. "Here. You can keep the rest, as interest? I have a job now, I'm good. So there's nothing else to worry about, right?" He didn't need anything to go wrong now, especially when he had just gotten here. Hopefully, Myszil would be satisfied with what he'd been given.

The Syszik seemed to recoil in disbelief, but took the credits and swiftly pocketed them. 

"Er... good. Yeah, you better gimme interest," he hissed, as if he had threatened it out of him, looking around to check he'd been watched, smirking. He glared back down at Seren, "Not quite good enough, though."

He leaned back and shouted, pointing accusingly at Seren, "This guy's a fucking _cheat_! He's rigging a machine!"

Seren's hopeful expression quickly fell when Myszil announced it wasn't 'good enough.' "What? But I paid you back, I gave you extra-"

He stiffened immediately and then leaped to his feet, holding his hands up while his eyes were wide and shocked. "No! That's not even true, I don't have the first clue about this fucking game! How could I rig it?" There was no evidence of the machine being tampered with, he had the sense to realize, but the accusation was enough to send up a murmur throughout the room. _No!_

Already there was security staff making their way closer to Seren, and Myszil was sneering a grin, backing away to allow them in, "There he is! I saw him, fucking dirty cheat!"

Axa pushed away from the wall and started out of the casino, pulling her comm out. She hated that she had Pax's frequency, but still punched it in and held her comm to her ear.

"Axaaa!" His voice was nails on a central info board to her. "How the fuck are you? Wait, why do you have my number..."

"Shut up and listen. Your boyfriend is at The Lady Fortune-" she huffed.

"He's not my b-... _what the fuck_?!"

"Shut _up_ or I will space you, Azara," she snarled. "He's here, he's about to get thrown out. You might wanna check up on him, idiot, before this Syszik gets someone to jump him."

Seren was trying to look in all directions at once, and caught the towering figure a second time, this time realizing it was _Axa_. But she was on her way out, and he only opened his mouth to call to her for a moment before shutting it again. No, Pax might find out.

"Listen, I can explain all this," he said desperately, babbling toward the advancing security staff instead. "I think my acquaintance is just mad at me since I've owed him credits for so long, and he's making it up- I didn't try to rig this machine. I swear. I didn't! You can look at it!"

He had no way out without Pax, he realized. There was no way he could run this time. It might be a small miracle if he could escape being detained, which would _not_ be fun to explain to Pax later.

Within minutes of ending the comm call with Axa, Pax was at The Lady Fortune, red-faced with anger and effort as he entered, but it quickly dissipated as he walked up. He needed to be calm to do it properly.

"Gentlemen? I came to play, is there an issue with the machine?"

"Rigged," a guard grunted, "We think this kid's the culprit."

Pax scoffed, "Oh? Well, Chrysalan Scapegoat is my game, maybe you'd let me look? Honestly, I know I look human, but I know the game better than any bug!"

The security guards looked uncertain but stepped aside.

Pax made a big show of looking around every bit of the machine but was secretly determining the game itself.

"Doesn't look rigged, fellas. Maybe I can show you?" he offered, brandishing a credit. He turned without waiting for an answer but gave Seren a firm glare as he did.

The sudden sound of Pax's voice both delighted and terrified Seren. _No, he wasn't supposed to know I was here-_ Axa?

He forgot about the reason _why_ it was happening and instead stepped back, his own face red, but with embarrassment. It was an understandable reason why this had happened, wasn't it? Except he wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. That would be the main problem.

Making sure not to appear as though he was escaping, Seren inched back to allow room for Pax to come in and look at the game, his eyes dropping to the floor at the look he'd received from the older man. Pax would know better than to think he would rig a machine again, surely. And he would be able to get Seren out of this mess, and it would all be fine. Maybe.

With a long, rambling, and entirely _fake_ explanation, Pax seemed to convince the security guards that nothing was amiss with the game. That, or they simply wanted any excuse not to need to do any work, and they left them alone. Even Myszil seemed to have had his fun causing trouble and was nowhere to be seen.

Pax stalked past Seren, hissing under his breath, "Outside. Now."

As the crowd dissolved, and the security guards thankfully moved away, Seren breathed out a sigh of relief. Then he remembered Myszil and whirled around, trying to find him. Again, nothing.

He sagged for a moment, more than relieved, until Pax's sharp but quiet command made him stand up straighter. He hurried to do this, eager for Pax to understand.

"Listen, it's not my fault," he tried quietly, once they were free of the Lady Fortune. "I ran into someone I owed money, and they decided to be a dick, and I really wasn't trying to do anything, I swear."

Pax wheeled on Seren, grabbing him and shoving him bodily down an alleyway.

"You little shit," he snarled. "You know what kind of criminals hang out in these casinos? You _can't_ be that stupid, surely?" He pushed Seren against the nearest wall, "_You said you weren't coming here_."

That feeling was back; heart thundering in his chest and stomach twisting in an almost anxiously _pleasant_ way, Seren stared at Pax after being manhandled into an alley and shoved against the wall. He tried to move but was held much too firmly.

"I know, yeah, I know! And I would have been fine, except that fucking jerk Syszik spotted me! I just-" There was no real explanation for himself, no way to justify why he had gone when he had told Pax he wouldn't. "I don't care, it was my decision. It all worked out, didn't it?" That had been his only real luck of the evening, though, that someone was able to notify Pax, that he had come quickly enough, and the guards had not been sufficiently convinced he had done anything.

"It all 'worked out' because I fucking came running down here to work it out for you! You would have been detained, searched, banned, or even arrested, you idiot," Pax hissed. "You lied to me after I was completely honest about being worried!"

He glared hard at Seren, his breathing heavy and agitated, his face close to the younger man's.

"Yeah, but I wasn't! It was all fine, it wouldn't have happened, I would have been fine! I'm _telling_ you! It was just a really bad circumstance!"

Seren had begun to tremble, as always, unable to help being just the slightest bit turned on by Pax's anger directed at him. It seemed it didn't matter how serious the situation was, it was going to happen. Something spurred him on, bringing a scowl to his face but no apology. "I only lied to make sure you didn't feel bad about me going. I can handle myself." It was obvious, after this, that he couldn't do that, not entirely. But he kept up his defiance, doing his best to match Pax's glare, even if he was clearly struggling with the intensity of it.

"Oh, you think that you can handle yourself, kitten?" Pax said lowly, planting a hand beside Seren's face, against the smooth metal of the building. "So you _handled yourself_ by nearly getting arrested, and waiting for me to come and bail you out? You _handled_ yourself with Devorak Nicks? You _handled_ yourself when I was the one to sell your ship and recover your debts?"

His chest was tight and hot, and he was closing the distance between them, but to what end, he didn't know.

"I wouldn't have gotten arrested, I did nothing to that machine," Seren suddenly babbled, trying to take some form of control, even though he didn't want to. Pax was continuing to move toward him, his anger not seeming to abate, but the younger man decided he still wanted to push ahead with his current course. He needed _more_, though of what, he wasn't sure.

"So what," he spat, his own chest heaving slightly. "I could prove it to you. I could come back here tomorrow and prove I can handle it. Or I could even go somewhere else. I'll do what I want to." This display of defiance seemed targeted toward obtaining a result from Pax, oddly. It felt like all he wanted, rather than to be actually visiting casinos again.

"You're a fucking brat, Seren," Pax hissed, grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing him against the wall, holding him there. The younger man was warm against him in a way that made Pax falter slightly, but only for a moment before he was redoubling his efforts and leaning into Seren's face. "Will you _do what you want to_? Or will you buckle under my instruction because you so desperately want my attention?" he hissed.

Something came over him, and he caught Seren in an aggressive kiss, the desire too much to deny, the heat building in him no longer something he could ignore. When he pulled away, his intense blue gaze was brighter, alight with a mixture of lust and frustration.

Seren gasped when Pax grabbed him, though he tried to stifle it. If he hadn't been sure he was aroused before, he definitely was now, being held in place firmly and talked to in a way that couldn't help but turn him on.

He listened, but the kiss caught him off guard, making him sag back even further against the wall with a sudden feeling of incredible weakness. Was that what it was all about? Maybe it wasn't the casino visit he had wanted, but Pax's _attention_. A kind of attention he had hardly managed to get before, that he needed to push to gain more of.

"It's up to you," he replied, his voice quiet and strained as he attempted to control himself. "If you don't want me in casinos again, you're going to have to _make me stay away_, you fucking jerk."

Pax's bright blue eyes were lidded, full of lust and a strange sort of possession as he held Seren against the wall, unsure what to do from there, but the look that met his gaze was lustful.

"Oh, I can make you stay away, kitten," he hissed. "I could take you back to the ship and bend you over the bed, spanking you until you're begging me to stop, until you're promising to be a good boy. I'll cuff you to the bed and keep you there until you've learned a lesson."

_Fuck_. Again, the words were just coming out, without him really meaning them to.

If Seren hadn't been pinned to the wall, he felt certain his legs might have given out beneath him at what Pax began to say. Already he could picture it all in his mind's eye, and it was exactly what he wanted.

"No, you can't-" he began in sharp protest, but stopped and bit his lip, chest heaving slightly. "You wouldn't dare. And I don't think you could even begin to try disciplining me. You're all talk, aren't you? You can't scare me into doing what you want." He was trembling, desperately hard, but full of defiance still. Pax would hopefully be able to see the desire in his eyes, the need for it happen that went beyond arousal. Strangely, it _did_ go beyond how much the idea of being punished appealed to him. It was something he needed, not just wanted.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" Pax hissed, pulling Seren by the shirt and turning him around, pushing him towards the shipyard. "I will march you through the fucking station to do _exactly_ what I just said, you little brat."

He planted his hand firmly between Seren's shoulders and started moving him forward, steering him through the streets, ignoring the odd looks they were receiving.

"They're looking at you, kitten. Wondering what you did to be marched through town like this."

It seemed Pax's mind was set. Which shouldn't have been a relief, but it was.

"I am _not_ a brat," he muttered, scowling as one of Pax's large hands pressed hard between his shoulders, guiding him. "I still say none of this was my fault, and anyway, nobody cares." Various beings _were_ staring, though, with curious gazes and some much more openly baffled. Seren could feel his face flushing warm and ducked his head a little, though the attention was not completely unwelcome. A strange part of him was actually enjoying the eyes focused on him. It somehow made him more excited.

Still, he continued to scowl all the way to the ship, though he remained silent until they finally neared the Siren. "Happy now? You embarrassed me if that's all you were after."

Pax said nothing, marching Seren up to the door and opening the airlock. He pushed him inside and closed the airlock behind them, and was staring the back of Seren's head down. The walk had done enough for him to calm a little, but he was still unnecessarily excited by what could happen.

"Bedroom. Take your clothes off and stand by the bed. First, you do the opposite of what I ask, then scoff at the punishment I have planned for you? You're going to be so raw you won't be able to sit," he said, leaning close to Seren's ear so his hot breath tickled it. It came so naturally, the things he was saying. It was electrifying, more exciting than any previous experience.

Seren's shoulders tensed up when Pax spoke into his ear, but not from apprehension. It was more from an exhilaration that left his palms sweaty and his heart racing, yet also with a delicious chill down his spine that almost made him gasp a second time.

For a little while, he debated disobeying further. Then he turned, giving Pax a defiant glare, and stalked off toward the bedroom. It felt good to be obstinate, which sounded strange, but he decided to plan on exploring more of that later.

Now that Pax couldn't see him, he practically ripped his own clothes off and dropped them on the floor, going to stand by the bed before he settled himself again. He didn't want to act so obvious, it wouldn't feel right. Of course, he was completely erect, and for some reason embarrassed about that. Maybe it would be ignored.

He stood quietly, though he occasionally shifted from one foot to the other. How would it feel if he couldn't even sit down...? Would Pax really go that far? This had been what Seren wanted, even if he still needed to see if he actually _enjoyed_ it beyond just the concept.

Pax left Seren waiting for a long moment while he composed himself, steadying his breathing.

As he calmed, he found his thoughts more organized. Maybe this was what Seren had been talking about, what they should have been doing in the first place, what he had meant. As it fell into place properly, he paused to consider it again. He would need to be careful; Seren hadn't yet said this was completely what he wanted, and Pax didn't want to drive him away by doing it wrong or hurting him. Careful and trusting. Seren had a safe word, didn't he?

_Fuck._

He needed to trust Seren.

He followed the younger man through to the bedroom and was struck with arousal again when he saw that he was not only naked, but _hard_.

"You dirty slut," he said lowly. "You're enjoying it."

Nearly jumping at the sound of Pax's voice, Seren turned a little as the older man entered, awkwardly moving his hands down as though to cover himself. Maybe he _was_ a dirty slut, but he wasn't going to think about that much right now.

"Of course," he snapped instead, not submissive at all. "You told me to get naked in the bedroom. What did you think was gonna happen? Did you change your mind, you want to fuck me instead?" He smirked, though his face was still flushed and warm. At that moment, he was absolutely trusting Pax to handle this as he saw fit; if Seren didn't like it, all he had to do was use his word, and it would all stop. He trusted that with Pax, too.

"My cock would be a _reward_, kitten," Pax said firmly, trying to harden his gaze, but he couldn't hide the lust there.

"Bend over, Seren. Both hands on the mattress. If your back hurts, you move to your knees and lean over without a word, do you understand?" he said sharply.

Seren caught the way Pax was looking at him. For a second time, he was relieved, knowing their enjoyment was mutual.

"That's debatable," he said with another smirk, but did as he was told. He felt oddly exposed to bend over this way, even though he had done it plenty of times during sex. This was a little different. "But nice of you to be thinking of my back, I guess." Continuing to talk and make bratty little statements felt like the right thing to do. He was enjoying it, at least.

Pax put a warm hand on the small of Seren's back, raising his other hand, with the low warning, "I'm going to give you one more chance. Apologize for disobeying me, and I won't spank you like you deserve. Show your remorse, and I'll throw you into bed and fuck you good and hard."

For the briefest moment, Seren hesitated, but not because he wanted to back down from this. It was more of the way Pax had phrased what he said, a sudden feeling coming over him that made him believe Pax really was _his dom_.

"Like fuck I'm going to say sorry," he snorted abruptly, though his fingers tensed where they pressed into the top of the bed. "I didn't do anything. It wasn't my fault that someone I owed money just happened to be at the casino that night."

"So. You _didn't_ borrow money from that guy? You _didn't_ get yourself into a debt you couldn't get out of?" Pax asked sweetly, before bringing his hand down on Seren's bare ass without warning, hard and stinging, harder than he anticipated being, and he tensed just slightly, groping for something to pretend to scold Seren with so he had time to recover. 

"You're full of it, kitten, and this is long overdue."

Seren had no time to think of a response before Pax had struck him surprisingly hard, and he sucked in a breath as the stinging sensation of it translated almost immediately into pleasure. He would need more to decide, but for now...

"Ahh- No, not tonight! It was before I even met you! You know that... I wouldn't borrow again. It was a long time ago, I just needed fifty to pay a few more games, and I could have sworn I did pay him back. I think." Truthfully, he had forgotten some of the smaller debts he might owe. He did hope no one else turned up in the future.

Pax telling him the punishment was overdue made him squirm, stifling a whimper. "It is not. So that's all? Kind of pathetic."

"Do I know that? Really? You've been so bad tonight that I don't know if I can trust what you're saying, kitten," Pax said, before glaring at the insinuation.

"Pathetic, hm? Oh, cutiepie, you're nowhere near done," he purred, before smacking him hard again, once on each upturned cheek.

"But I didn't! I don't owe anyone. I fucking swear." It almost made Seren wish he did, to get into further trouble. Just not quite.

He cried out a little louder at the next two hits, squirming even more openly. It felt incredible to be treated this way, and not just the entwined sensations of pain and pleasure. It was also very oddly soothing, which made little sense to him at the time. "You have to trust me, don't you?"

"Give me a reason to, kitten, and maybe I will. Regardless of whether you owe anyone else any more, you still fucking lied to me," Pax said, bringing his hand down again, over an increasing patch of bright pink on Seren's pale skin.

Seren gasped, digging his fingers against the blanket as he felt the pain of the strikes was beginning to burn. He was sure he could take so much more, though.

"I guess so, but I- I was only trying to protect you. If you weren't going to let me be an adult and make my own decisions, then of course I had to do it secretly." He pressed his lips together, absolutely refusing an apology just then, even though he knew he should give one.

"_You_ were protecting me?" the older man laughed, spanking him again before moving back slightly, letting his hand recover from the tingling of the impact.

"So, remind me, who came to your rescue?"

"I didn't want you to worry! And- ahh- I think it was Axa. She was there, I saw her leaving... Dunno if she called you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have even known where I was."

Seren smirked, feeling overly proud of himself, almost as though he had won.

"I'd fucking know, kitten," he said lowly. "You stink of the cheap bar there. I know you didn't drink there, but the whole casino has a smell."

He leaned down, punctuating his words with another slap, "I would _know_."

Pax was right; there was definitely a smell in a place like that. But the thought that it had transferred onto him somehow felt disgusting.

"Ugh, no I don't," he whined, twisting somewhat as his ass was slapped again, starting to straighten up and move from his position. "You wouldn't _know_. And this is pointless. Are we done now? You're not even being that hard on me." Seren was actually hoping to show Pax he wanted more, to somehow prod him into it.

"I told you, you're not done," Pax hissed, and he raised his hand again to slap Seren repeatedly, loud, stinging slaps, three right after each other, his own arousal growing in intensity.

"Not done? So now if I just apologize, we can be?" Seren replied sarcastically, though he cried out again when Pax spanked him hard. "What's to stop me from just going back again?" He squirmed in place, turned on as hell, just about on the verge of wanting to touch himself. It was a lot better than he'd imagined.

"Because you want to please me," Pax said simply, stroking Seren's lower back. The words were on his lips, and he lowered his voice, "You want to be a good boy and please your dom, don't you? I know it's true, kitten..."

"I-" Seren did falter at that, especially the words Pax was using. "So you really are my dom, then?"

He was incredibly embarrassed to have blurted this out, feeling his face turn red and quickly hiding it by dropping his head down toward the bed. "I don't know. Being a good boy isn't really who I am..."

"But if you're good for me, if you're a good little sub, I can treat you nice and rough, exactly like you want," Pax whispered, stroking Seren's hair. "And when you're naughty, you'll get more of my hand."

He added to his point by slapping Seren's ass once again.

Something about Pax's words was getting through to Seren, this time. He gasped again at the sharp slap, his eyes slightly unfocused as he stared at the blanket beneath him.

"It's fucking weird, but I want both. I want to please you, but I want to make you angry, too. I mean, I don't mind either outcome. I'm sorry, though. You didn't have to deal with the stress of coming to my rescue after I was such an idiot. I think I just- You know, I needed this." He fell silent, realizing he was talking too much, wondering what Pax might do now.

Seren's words gave Pax a moment of uncertainty, and he stepped back. That was a weird amount of responsibility to suddenly feel for Seren, for his safety and release. But then, he supposed that was what being someone's dom was about, really.

"Not quite good enough, kitten," he said, laying one final slap down, "But I'll go easy _this once_. I'm watching you, though. If you're a little brat, I'm going to punish you."

Seren waited quietly, expecting he might be pushed away, then genuinely startled when his ass was smacked again. It hadn't been what he expected.

"You did go easy," he mumbled. "It hurts, but I'm pretty sure I can sit down." He smirked widely, attempting to stand. "Oh, I'm sure you will. But just in case, I'll... You know, maybe do stuff that's a little safer next time." He did feel bad about the casino, but how was he supposed to know what to do?

Pax kept his hand on Seren's back for a moment, holding him steady as he stroked the sore spots on his backside.

"Good. Whatever, you better be fucking prepared for the next time you cross me," he said with a certain amount of fondness. "You okay...?"

"Oh, I will be," Seren chuckled, though he arched into the gentle touch on his ass. "I'm okay. It was good, just next time hit me fucking _harder_."

His amused expression continued for only a few seconds before he suddenly groaned. "I've got another problem, though. I'm so damn horny now. Is it like that for you, too?" He sincerely hoped so. If it turned Pax on to punish him, then he would definitely try for more soon.

Smirking, Pax moved his hand to cup Seren, "Oh, you are? I don't think you fucking deserve me pushing you down and fucking you, but I'm damn horny too, so-"

He grinned wickedly, and shoved Seren to the bed, climbing on atop him and kissing him roughly, his passion ignited further now he felt more confident with what he had done.


End file.
